A Fangirl's Dream
by FanfictionIsmySideHustle
Summary: Ivy has it rough. She's no anime fan or FMA fan. But when she somehow crosses the gate, she finds herself in the worst possible position: a protagonist of an Another World fic trope. And between the alchemy, automail, lack of plot knowledge, and struggling with her attraction to a pretty blonde mechanic, Ivy reluctantly teams up with the main characters in her journey to get home.
1. This Shortcut is Wack

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** With an anime loving best friend, Ivy has heard plenty about whatever show of the week they're into. But when she manages to cross the gate during an attempt to take a shortcut home, she finds herself in a frightening position. The main character in an Another World fanfiction trope; and with reluctance, she finds herself teaming up with the main characters to get back home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

"So your latest idea is what now?" Ivy Carter asked over a bite of her chicken sandwich. A drop of sweat rolled down the back of her neck, her coiled hair bound tightly in a high puff. Why she and her friend, Akasha Maverick, decided to sit outside when their hometown didn't know the concept of True Spring was beside her. Yet Akasha didn't seem to mind, somehow seemingly unaffected by the warmth of the sun with her green eyes flashing with excitement.

Prior to the two sitting down at a crowded lunch table, Ivy had received a multitude of texts from Akasha about how she was developing a new fic to write.

Akasha looked positively giddy. "Oh yeah, I wanted to talk about that now!" The brunette exclaimed, putting her chocolate milk down in exchange for her notebook. _More like you were waiting for me to ask._ Ivy snickered as Akasha flipped through a notebook as green as her eyes, dingy and yellowed with pencil scratches all over it. "I've got a new fanfiction idea!" She was grinning widely and pointing at a page full of her chicken scratch.

Ivy nodded, "I know that much." Akasha was an avid fan writer on the website , not that Ivy really read any of them- if she had to read some fanfiction, it was gonna be for ATLA or Supernatural- but she did like to listen to Akasha ramble on about her latest creations. Even if it seemed like the girl had a new idea every other week despite having at least fifteen stories on her FFN account. "But what's it about? Is it F-"

_"Fullmetal Alchemist-themed?"_ Akasha flutters her eyelashes, chest puffed out with a hand laid on her chest in an act of faux sophistication. "Why yes, yes it is!"

_Of course._ "Well shoot." Ivy gestured with one hand, the other clasping the last few bites of her lunch.

This wasn't the first time the two of them had spent their lunch listening to Akasha talk about her fanfiction ideas and it wouldn't be the last. It had been like this since before Akasha had discovered Fullmetal Alchemist in 8th grade. Except then, the conversations had been something Ivy could really bite onto. In depth conversations about Akasha's newest OCs in ATLA or laughing about the newest Chuck Norris joke of the week. Then Akasha discovered an anime she had yet to ween her obsession off of. There went the extremely excited convos about Aang and the Gaang, in came the excited squeals about some guy named Edward who didn't sparkle and have a love rivalry with a werewolf.

"Okay, so I'm making a story where my OC ends up, drum roll please," Akasha cut herself off, actually drumming her hands on the table.

"Pff, nerd."

_"Shutup_\- FMA!" Akasha says at last.

"I know, you said that already."

Akasha ignored that fact. "Yeah. There's a bunch on FFN and I've finally read enough to know what I wanna do." Akasha went on. "Basically, my OC ends up in FMA, like I said before, and when she does she ends up meeting Roy Mustang who let's her pretend to be his younger sister and he ends up sending her to travel off with the Elric brothers since they know more about taboo alchemy subjects and stuff, yknow, so she'd be able to ask them to help her get home."

Ivy, surprisingly, did know.

She at least knew the basics about Fullmetal Alchemist considering how much Akasha loved to talk about it.

Two brothers try bringing their mom back to life lose some body parts and spend the majority of the show trying to get them back.

"Ye, I gotcha." Ivy replied and Akasha continued on.

"I really like the idea of her getting to be Roy's little sister 'cause I have a Mustang OC in another fic and-" she cut her ramble off. "I'm really just trying to figure out what version of FMA I wanna write this for. The 2003 version or Brotherhood which came out 2009."

"What's the difference between a the original and the reboot?"

"Brotherhood isn't really a reboot, though. The first anime came out before the manga was finished so the mangka, author, told them to just do whatever basically but Brotherhood actually follows the manga instead. So there's characters that's not in the first anime and a bunch of other changes."

"Ah, I get you." Ivy nodded, mostly to herself. It sounded complicated but, "go with whatever version you like the best?"

"I like them both so much though!"

"Nerd."

"Jerk."

Ivy giggled and gave Akasha a flick to the knee. "So is your OC gonna stay in their world in the end or nah?" She asked, ignoring Akasha's offended gasp and returned flick.

"She's staying, duh!" Akasha answers, like it's obvious. Which it was but Ivy might have been surprised. "It's a love story! Plus my OC is from our world so she's already a big fan of the show, so it's basically her dream. A Fangirl's Dream- OMG that's the perfect title!" Akasha says, whipping out her pen from her pocket to write the title down before it's forgotten. "She's gonna end up falling in love with Edward and I think there's gonna be an epilogue after the last chapter where it's a years later kind of thing where she and Ed are married and have a family and she thinks about her life before coming to FMA but she's happy ultimately and wouldn't change a thing."

"Nice to know that when you somehow magically find a way to go inside your fav books and tv shows that you're not gonna come back and marry the main character."

Akasha's face turns a tinge of pink and Ivy found herself not thinking for the first time that she's glad her own skin is too brown for people to tell that she's blushing. "I-I wouldn't, this isn't about me this is about my OC!"

"That also is a brunette with green eyes?"

"I haven't decided what she looks like yet." Akasha grumbles, looking decidedly elsewhere as Ivy rolled on laughing.

"Sure thing, sure thing." Ivy managed to get out. "So does this mean that that Wendy girl is gonna be your OC's love rival?" She tried recalling Wendy's looks from the one time she remembered seeing an episode back in 8th grade before letting Akasha know that she wasn't really into this anime she liked but Ivy would try watching another one with her. Blonde hair, blue eyes, pretty as all animated characters tend to be.

"It's Winry." Akasha corrected with a roll of her eyes.

_Okay _Winry_ then._ Ivy repeats the name a couple of times to help commit the name to memory- _ha, Kingdom Hearts reference. But seriously, Winry, Wendy, it's close enough._

Akasha continues on. "Winry Rockbell. She's Ed's mechanic for his arm and leg cause she makes these prosthetics called automail." Akasha suddenly frowned and Ivy already felt the rant approaching as she took another bite of her sandwich, trying to savor the flavor. "And she's the most annoying character in the show!" There it goes. The Rant. "She's basically useless! But Ed still ends up marrying her in the end. I just pretend that part of an otherwise perfect story doesn't exist."

"But I thought you said she keeps the main character walking though by making his prosthetics." Ivy raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that kinda useful? Like Katara having healing abilities or Sokka keeping the Gaang on track instead of having constant filler episodes?"

Akasha shakes her head vehemently. "That's completely different! She has no place in anything and is basically just shoved wherever, no fighting or alchemical abilities- oh and she has this opportunity to shoot Scar- he's this guy who can only destroy with alchemy and he wants to kill Ed and Al and all the other State Alchemists for this Civil War-"

"So Scar left the Pride Lands to kill alchemists?"

Akasha continued on as if she wasn't interrupted. "And Ed basically reveals by accident to Winry that Scar killed her parents so she picks up a gun and just spends the entire episode crying and doesn't even shoot! She should have just left if she wasn't gonna do anything! And her granny helped with the prosthetics so technically-"

Ivy raised a brown hand, "So basically you just salty that this Winry girl is the love interest of your fictional crush and you just drinking the Kool-Aid?" She puckers her lips and Akasha gasps in offense. "Girl you gotta take your Team Edward goggles off. Maybe this Winry girl isn't even that bad?"

"You just think that because you haven't watched the show!" Akasha crosses her arms. "You know what, you're watching it with me this weekend. No ifs, ands, or buts! We'll watch Brotherhood."

"Girl, I don't wanna your pint ass, not even actually made of full metal lookin' ass show."

"The first time you saw an episode it was from the first anime, but you'll like Brotherhood! Everyone likes Brotherhood. Besides, you liked NANA when I showed that to you!"

"That's because NANA was an actually good show." Ivy grumbled. It might have been an anime but it was anime that struck tears into Ivy's heart with great characters and beautiful love stories. Not some show with a walking suit of armor. The girl still knew her protests would be pointless. Once Akasha got like this, good luck talking her out of it. "But whatever, sure. I'll watch 'Fullmetal Alchemist'."

"You'll love Ed, Al, Izumi- okay you'll love everyone, but if you start liking Winry- or May Chang- I'll have to fight you!"

"I'm just gonna like both of those girls out of spite now."

* * *

"See you tomorrow!"

"Bye!"

"Later, nerds!"

Ivy sluggishly walked out of the gym feeling sluggish and even more gross than she did during lunch as she scrolled through the most recent text messages in her phone. Practice was rough, especially with a coach as strict as Ms. Quimby, and especially as the team's setter, but she couldn't really find herself complaining. Especially not enough to make her want to quit the team and join any other sport.

When they first got to high school, Ivy was adamant in telling Akasha she refused to join the basketball team in order to avoid looking like a stereotype.

She didn't trust anyone enough to be tossed in the air nor did she trust herself to catch anyone doing tumbles down from the aforementioned tosses, so cheerleading was out.

But just jogging like how she did in the mornings and joining oh-so-easy track and field wasn't it either, so volleyball had been her only real option to do sports.

Now she actually liked volleyball and the precise tosses she needed to carry out to bring her team to victory.

_Come to think of it..._ According to Akasha, there was an actual anime about volleyball._ Maybe I'll actually check that one out._ Ivy skimmed through the log she and Akasha had accumulated over the months.

**TeamEdwardELRIC**

_Okay so I got more ideas about AFD!_

_Like I said b4, Amber (OC) is gonna be called Amber Mustang and she's gonna be traveling with Ed and Al so I want her to actually learn alchemy so that's gonna be so cool! (i wish alchemy actually existed to I could transmute a way out of math class)_

_And I'll have it be in Brotherhood cause that's shorter, lowkey, and easier to work with!_

_She's gonna show up riiiight before the stuff with Scar_

…

Ivy wiped herself down with the towel still wrapped around her shoulder with a chuff and an eye roll. Leave it to Akasha to come up with a solid 10 texts about her story ideas. They were good at least, at least Ivy thought so. They were just weird without the full context of the show. But Ivy could understand why as she looked passed the campus baseball field and at the cars passing by as the sun set. There was nothing but beige buildings and the occasional speckle of familiar litter that no one ever bothered to pick up.

When it came to their hometown of Vallant, Nana Komatsu from NANA said it best. Vallant was neither the countryside or a city. It was just Vallant, a tiny town smacked right in the middle of Northern and Southern California close to a logging community and literal farmers with only two high schools and no college or university in it. The closest university Ivy could think of was at least a 30 minute drive away. And if there was no room for universities in Vallant, there definitely wasn't any room for a convention center, let alone for anime nerds.

So Ivy became the strong hold for Akasha to pelt her interests at because in a place like Vallant, a girl took what she could get and gave what she could give.

Alright, lemme tell Moms I'm on my way back. Ivy backed out of her thread with Akasha to head over to the one she shared with her mother.

**Me**

_Yo ma. Practice is over. On my way back_

It didn't take long for her mom to reply.

**Mom**

_Be safe!_

Ivy started to walk despite the protest of her leg muscles and sighed heavily. _35 minutes of walking, here I come._ On days Ivy had practice, getting home felt like it took forever.

_Fuck it, I'll just make it an hour because I ain't walking faster than this._ Ivy thought in protest, plugging her earbuds into her phone and going to her downloads and putting on something that could help the time ease by.

**Me**

_Nice idea stories, nerd._

_Just make sure to remember her hardcore wedding vows with Edboy_

**TeamEdwardELRIC**

_Oh I will!_

_I already wanna start writing those parts but I'm typing chapter 1 rn instead. Gotta go in chapter order_

But knowing Akasha, Ivy felt like there was probably gonna be a moment where Akasha decided to fudge that personal rule and start writing out of order for the dream romance she wanted.

**TeamEdwardELRIC**

_How was practice?_

**Me**

_It was chill tired as hell tho_

_Not looking forward to this walk_

But Ivy was able to give the walk the benefit of the doubt that the sun was still up. It was 5pm and the sun was still graciously up in the sky and wouldn't be setting for a couple more hours. Would it take care of her tiredness walking home? Not really, but it was a bright side.

_Next time, I'm getting bus fare._

Akasha's next text didn't come immediately and Ivy chalked it up to her being caught up in whatever paragraph she was writing. The bass beat of Soul For Real's 'Every Little Thing I Do' thrummed softly in her ear as she walked passed the fence of her high school's baseball field and onto the cement. There went the soft feeling of the grass on her feet to help soothe the ache.

There was also the occasional sound of a car so loud she could hear it over her music.

But her stark determination to make it home without any stops stopped the moment she saw the nearest bus stop and she decided to sit on it anyway just to rest her feet for a minute or two. She'd just wave away the next bus that came driving by thinking she wanted on.

**Me**

_You ever given up on life in under 2 minutes?_

That got a text back from Akasha in record time.

**TeamEdwardELRIC**

_Yeeeessss_

_What's up?_

Ivy just smiled through the 'pain'.

**Me**

_My lazy ass doesn't feel like walking lmao_

She was pretty sure Akasha was laughing alongside her own the other side of the phone. They were soul sisters like that. Two sides of a coin. Black and white, literally. Yin and Y- Ivy stopped her philosophical ramblings as another text from Akasha got her attention.

**TeamEdwardELRIC**

_Oh there's this shortcut Austin and I use in reese park!_

Ivy could already hear her mom's voice in head. _"Don't you be using any shortcuts now, Ivy. Do you know how dangerous they are, Ivy? Just stay on the main street to get home. Just because the twins use a shortcut it doesn't mean you should use a shortcut."_

But with her feet tired and lack of bus fare to keep herself optimistic, Ivy found herself uncaring.

_Imma use a shortcut just once and Mom doesn't even gotta know about it. Once. Maybe. Probably._

**Me**

_Describe this, how you say, shortcut?_

**TeamEdwardELRIC**

_I'm changing your name in my phone 2 Saison Marguerite_

_But go passed that giant water fountain that's by the swings? It's right passed that. Ya can't miss it_  
_It's pretty short!_

Ivy stood up on her feet again, feeling a bit more revitalized. Reese Park was about ten minutes away from where she was, but she was pretty sure she could cut it to five if she walked fast enough.

It was more like seven minutes of a walk when she finally arrived to Reese Park's entrance and a wave of nostalgia passed over her. It had been a minute since she had actually been in this park and there were still families playing on the swing sets or sitting on the benches while their kids ran around playing tag. Reese Park was the place that Ivy climbed her first tree.

Trees in Reese Park were surprisingly thick with branches sturdy enough to hold even adults. She, Akasha, and Austin, Akasha's older twin brother, had made it their mission back in the summer of 6th grade to climb to the top of one. None of them really made it very far, Ivy especially. She climbed right back down once she got to the middle mark and left tree climbing to the twins.

_Maybe I should give it a go again._ Ivy thought as she saw the tree in the corner of her eye as she headed towards the park fountain. But the thought was negated as soon as she had it. _Nah, knowing me Imma just end up falling off and breaking something or somethin'._

Walk barefoot in the little park lake? Sure.

Climb a giant ass tree? Pass.

When Ivy got around the park fountain, the park population started getting sparse. But during the summer, the 'fountain', which was honestly more like a pond, would always have trout placed in it for fishing competitions. The nostalgia wave came back again. She never really joined the competition or anything, but it was always fun listening to everyone shout and laugh and have a good time with the smell of barbecue in the air and cupcakes with melted frosting from the heat of the sun.

Once she got passed the park fountain, that was when Ivy saw it.

This 'Can't Miss It' shortcut Akasha talked about.

**Me**

_Yo I'm at that shortcut_  
_What's the directions?_

She stared at it, head tilted to the side, as she waited for Akasha's next response. _When the hell was thing made?_ The best word Ivy had for the thing was a gate, but not that cheap metal fencing kind of gate you see protecting elementary and high schools. But a stone gate, one that was considerably fancy considering the rustic aesthetic of Reese Park.

_Maybe the people wanted something nice to look at?_

Looking at it carefully, Ivy had to just say it wasn't really her cup of tea._ It's… interesting. That's for sure._

It had a large carving set into the stone starting with what she was guessing was a sun? Or was it a circle over some weird root worm things? Whatever the circle was over, the tree thing went all the way to the end of the doors symmetrically and feathering out with a bunch of other circles and ovals enwrapped in them. And written in these circles and ovals were words that were written in…. _Geez, the hell, is that Latin? _It was written in something, that's for sure. _Yeah. Not really feeling this._

Ivy looked down at her phone.

Akasha still hadn't text back yet. _I guess she really feeling her story right now._ Ivy decided, but she still texted a reminder she was still waiting for a response. _If she doesn't write back, I'll just walk home the normal way. Talk about a waste of walking though._

A few more minutes passed by before Akasha finally sent something back.

**TeamEdwardELRIC**

_Just walk straight. It's a linear path._

Ivy quirked an eyebrow. Periods at the end of sentences?

She started up texting 'Hey, dude you alright?' before deleting it completely.

**Me**

_Yo, I'll call when I get home if you wanna talk about it?_

Ivy waited for the message to load and send but she kept getting the blue loading circle thing and it felt like 20 years passed before she finally groaned and just put her phone back in her pocket. She'd just call when she got home and wait for Akasha to send something saying she got Ivy's text.

Then she walked through the gates 'opened just enough for someone to walk through' doors, probably courtesy of Akasha and Austin fucking with it for a shortcut discovery.

A weird shortcut discovery. It was like walking through a weird box with no top, walls built up high but not entirely blocking off the sun and afternoon blue sky. Thankfully, the exit could be scene clear as day on the other side, a blaring white cut of so Ivy laid any worries she had to waste and continued on until she got to the other side and found herself looking at an open space of windblown grass.

Then she got hit with the stench of what had to be manure and her nose wrinkled in disgust.

Freaking. Small. Ass. Towns.

She whipped out her phone immediately.

**Me**

_Girl, you could have warned me that this shortcut passed through the farms!_

She impatiently tapped a foot and only felt her irritation rise when she saw she got nothing but a loading message. Her last message had yet to load too. Then she looked at bars and saw it at a stark zero and groaned. Of course her phone decided to fail on her right now.

She scrolled a little back to look at Akasha's last text.

_'Just walk straight. It's a linear path.'_

_It better be._

The sky was looking that distinct blue but with an orange film-like filter that could only be produced when the sun was starting to set. And Ivy wasn't trying to show up late messing around with a shortcut Akasha recommended. _But hey, maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised._ Besides, her Mom might be more forgiving for any mishaps if Ivy mentions she felt pretty tired after practice today. And with that, Ivy walked forward trying to inhale as little of the stench as she could. She could easily see a couple of farms not too far away and see the sheep.

Five minutes passed.

Ten minutes.

Fifteen-

Finally, Ivy stopped walking and looked at her phone to see if she had any bars now. She didn't.

_This is one crappy ass shortcut._ Ivy ground her teeth then pursed her lips. If a 'shortcut' is longer than ten minutes, it loses the right to be called a shortcut. She was definitely laying that in on Akasha tomorrow at school. Maybe not tonight when she was feeling off earlier. _Maybe it's Melanie-related._ Melanie was Akasha's stepmom. She always seemed nice to Ivy, but Akasha said she didn't need a mom replacement.

Ivy sighed. She wasn't going to be able to call anyone at this rate.

Her mom usually would have text her at this point, asking how close she was to being home.

She looked to her left which was the nearest farm next to her but shook her head, a dark feeling in her stomach. Hard pass. No using a farmer's phone to call home. She remembered seeing some farmer-based horror movies she wasn't actually supposed to watch behind her mom's back when she was six. Never trusted another farmer unless she was just passing by the farmer's market.

But it was Horror Etiquette 101, never trust a farmer's tool shed.

She squinted down the dirt road she was on hoping to see any house that wasn't farm-esque so she could ask to use their phone for a minute. Eventually what seemed to be the answer to her wishes appeared as a medium-sized home atop the hill with no livestock that Ivy could see. Life was finally handing out peaches instead of lemons. She'd make her quick call then turn back around back out the gate she crossed and just be home a little late than normal. She'd just have to really haul ass to get there without incurring the wrath of her mom.

_Just say there's a traffic jam? Right, how do you get in a traffic jam when you're just walking? Alright just say that Akasha- she knows Akasha doesn't really stick around when I got practice. Okay okay, I'll just say that when I was about to head out Coach said she that someone else bailed on helping put up the gym equipment so I stayed behind to help and she got me pizza? That's so brilliant I almost hurt myself._

It was something her mom couldn't just google to validate whether or not it was true like a huge, walk-affecting traffic jam.

When the house she was heading to was closer, Ivy sighed for what felt like her millionth time that day. She just wanted to get home and crash her face into her pillow and sleep. She'd do her math homework in the morning, it was 6th period anyway. So she could realistically procrastinate on it all day.

She got a good look at the house and its surroundings. The house was medium-sized and a mix of yellow wood, faded brick, and windows bordered with wood painted the same green of the roof. Not the color combination that Ivy would go for herself in a house but she wasn't one to judge.

Ivy preened the area carefully. There was no sheep shed or fenced area for livestock for sure. Only a wooden sign that read 'Rockbell Automail' in blue letters.

Rockbell?

Ivy paused, trying to think of why the name felt familiar but when nothing came to mind she resigned that her brain was so fried it didn't really wanna think about anything right now.

Maybe it was because it was kind of mailing service that went to town and some painter messed up the spacing of the sign. Well, the sign wasn't really the largest so it could be that the words had to be forced toge- _Okay, Ivy, time to stop thinking and start knocking so you can hurry up and go home._

Ivy hopped her way up the porch steps and knocked three times and jumped slightly when she heard barking. _Please someone not weird open the door. Please someone not weird open the door._

"Just a minute!" She heard a voice call from the other side, muffled thanks to the door and barking. "Den shoo!" The barking became a whimper.

Feeling a little anxious hearing the steps come closer to the door. _Just don't be someone weird._

The door opened to long blonde hair and blue eyes on a girl that had to be Ivy's age in a beige jumpsuit that was slightly unzipped to reveal a black undershirt. She had to be 15 like Ivy at the oldest, 14 at the youngest. _Thank the powers that apparently be._ "Hi, I'm sorry but we're actually closed right now but we can take any orders you need tomorrow."

_Okay so they _are_ a delivery business._ Ivy's chest felt lighter. "Oh sorry to bother you guys, I didn't actually have any orders or anything like that."

The girl blinked, "then what did you want?"

"I'm kinda having a rough time calling my mom. I was just wondering if you could let me use your phone for, like, 2 seconds so I could call her?"

The girl, Blondie, blinked in surprise and there was something else. Sadness? But she quickly smiled so Ivy couldn't be too sure. "I'll ask my grandma to see if we can let you, okay? Just wait here!" Then the door closed and Ivy could make out the sound of the slap of sandals on hardwood floors and muffled yelling. Then within seconds, Blondie was back. "Granny says it's okay!" She stepped to the side, gesturing welcomingly.

Ivy sighed in relief this time. "Thank you so much! My mom can be a bit of a hardass so I just wanna call really fast and handle my business."

Blondie kept smiling. "She sounds like she just cares about you a lot."

"That's what she tells me." Ivy chuckled, looking around the house. It was kinda cozy looking, an old rug on the floor and orange leather couch among other things like a china cabinet and some strewn around boxes that surprisingly had prosthetic limbs in them.

"Oh."

Blondie gave a sheepish smile, "Sorry it gets pretty messy and we're trying to keep things back in order."

_Okay Ivy, calm it down. Maybe she has a relative who needs prosthetics. Like her grandma. Or maybe even her grandpa!_ Ivy shrugged. "No worries. My place gets messy too." Blondie seemed relieved in her own right and beckoned to what looked like it was leading to a kitchen.

"We keep the phone in the workshop most of the time, but we move out to the kitchen sometimes." _Workshop where y'all get your mail taken care of._

"Cool." Ivy looked around the kitchen. It was about the size of the one she had at her house. She skimmed around more, not able to help how nosy she felt. Sometimes, you just wanna look around someone else's house. She gasped softly when she finally saw the dog that must have been barking earlier. "Aww! Hey boy!"

The dog wagged it's tail excitedly as Blondie giggled. "Den's a girl."

"C'mere girl!" Ivy didn't even care if she was in a stranger's house, she kneeled down anyway to beckon them forward. The dog was black and white and beautiful. The only thing off putting about it was the dark gray metal leg attached to it. "What happened, girl?" Ivy cooed, petting the dog's head.

"When she was still a puppy she walked into a bear trap." Blondie said, voice surprisingly light. "But now she's doing so good."

Ivy could hear the pride in Blondie's voice and felt pretty proud herself. She didn't hear about it often, but she loved stories about animals being able to walk again by being given prosthetics. "Who's my little badass?"

Blondie laughed again and Ivy finally forced herself to stand up. "Okay, let me call my mom before I run out the house with your dog."

"As if we'd let you take our baby away."

"You're lucky I ain't trying to be a homewrecker."

Blondie laughed heartily at that one and Ivy couldn't hold back her own snicker. Someone who finally appreciated her humor. "I've never heard anyone talk about being a homewrecker in regards to stealing a dog."

"My humor is one of a kind." Ivy replied.

Blondie shook her head like it would shake the laughter out of her. "Here's the phone." She said finally and Ivy felt herself be taken in for a loop when she saw it. It seriously looked like one of those phones from a black-and-white movie her grandma owned.

"Is something wrong?"

"Not at all!" Ivy said, not wanting to accidentally insult the one who convinced her granny to let a stranger in their house in use their phone. "Was just remembering my mom's number!" Maybe they just couldn't afford a regular landline phone and who was she to judge for that.

Ivy felt a small hesitance looking at the phone, but she took a deep breath and picked it off the dial and pressed in number by number. Weird roll motion by weird roll motion. How did they live with this phone?

She waited for the ringing to start and there was for a half second before a pick up on the other side. "Hello, who are you trying to reach?"

Ivy couldn't stop herself from outright gawking. There were still people at there that did this?! The only time she had ever even seen one of those people who would connect your call to the recipient was in a movie. Or, like, the automated voice messages you'd get trying to call your local large retailer chain and they'd say to press 1 or 0 to get to a certain phone-line.

All the power to the real life people who were keeping the dying business going, Ivy guessed.

"Hello?"

"Oh sorry about that! I'm trying to call Rose Carter?"

There was a pause. Then the man said, "Sorry, ma'am. There's no one under than name here."

"Excuse me?"

"There's no Rose Carter, in our registry."

"You can't be serious?"

"What's the number you're trying to dial?"

"(555) 316-1927." Ivy crossed one of her arms tightly to her chest. She just wanted to hurry this up. "She lives at 5551 Hawthorn Berry Lane in Vallant, California?"

"... Yeaaah, there's no one like that. There isn't even a town called Vallant California."

Now Ivy was calling bull. "You've got to be joking."

The man sounded irritated now too. "The number sounds botched too. It's too short."

"What do you mean it's 'too short'?"

"Look kid, it isn't my fault you don't have her number memorized and the basics of Amestrian phone numbers. 3 digit area code, 8 digit number."

"... Are you sure?"

The man sounded like he was sighing. "I'm definitely sure that this name and town aren't in the registry. Try calling again when you're not trying to prank the service." Then the man hung up.

Ivy looked at the phone in surprise.

Then she groaned. _Stupid, out-of-dated phone service._ She set the phone back on the dial. _I hope that asshole gets fired._

When she turned around, Blondie was nowhere to be seen which she was thankful about. She didn't want her failure of a conversation being heard by anybody else. She exited the kitchen and that's when Blondie reappeared, a smile on her face. "Is your mom okay?" She asked.

Somehow, that got the corners of Ivy's lips to turn a little. "Eeeh the call didn't really go as planned."

Blondie's face fell but she tried to look optimistic. "Sorry it didn't work out."

"It's fine, I'll figure it out." Ivy replied. "Thanks again. Let your granny know I said thanks for letting me use the phone too, er... "

The girl extended a hand with a smile, "It's Winry. Winry Rockbell."

…..

Wait a minute.

Ivy could feel her expression souring as she finally remembered why 'Rockbell' sounded so familiar before. "Ain't automail those fullmetal prosthetic limbs?"

'Winry' seemed a little put off by the sudden topic change but she nodded nonetheless. "Yeah! My granny and I build them for a living. I know it might be weird seeing an engineer as young as myself but I-"

"Alright. Jokes on me for listening to Akasha."

Winry looked concerned. "What?"

"Nothing. Thanks, 'Winry'." Ivy said, making quotations around the girls fake as hell name. She should have realized she was a cosplayer before.

Winry looked indignant. "Winry is my name!"

"And mines is Jamie Lee Curtis."

"You were in such a good mood before; what's wrong?"

Ivy just stormed passed her though, ignoring Winry's concerned exclamations. _This is the last damn time- Akasha is crazy if she thinks I'm watching Fullmetal Alchemist with her ass this weekend. I don't even wanna listen to her fanfiction ideas! I'm out here trying to get home and she sets up some dumb prank with some cosplayer buddy._

Ivy stormed passed the Rockbell Automail sign and down the hill and passed the farms she had walked passed earlier.

Five minutes passed.

Then ten.

Then fifteen.

Then-

Ivy squinted. Where the hell was the gate? She couldn't see it at all in the distance and she had to have been close by now.

She looked to her left then her right and could see a boy a little younger than her herding some sheep and she bit her lip, not really wanting to ask but she started walking in his direction anyway. "Um, excuse me!" She called. "Shepherd boy!"

The boy finally noticed her. "What?!"

"How close am I to that gate?!"

The boy cocked his head. "What gate?!"

God was everyone in the universe trying to make her world miserable today? "The fancy giant stone one with the circles and roots and stuff!" Ivy exclaimed.

The boy looked even more confused. "There's no gate like that around here!"

Ivy didn't know if she wanted to cry or not. "Are you serious?!"

The boy turned away from her and started yelling at what she was guessing was a toolshed. "Erial! Hey Erial!" When an older boy popped out of the tool shed, the boy continued on. "Is there any fancy gate around here with a bunch of circles and roots and stuff?!"

Erial made a face as he shook his head. "No!"

The boy turned back to Ivy. "There's no gate like that in Resembool!"

Resembool? Is that what this place was called then? That sounded fake but alright. "Thanks!"_ For nothing._ Ivy continued on walking straight the way she originally started. She would just have to run into the gate organically. Maybe she felt like she was supposed to run into it by now because of how she was feeling super impatient and annoyed right now and the sun was setting even more now so it made her feel pressured to get to the gate faster.

But no matter how far she walked, the gate never showed up.

Now Ivy was ready to crying in frustration.

_Where the hell is it?!_

The sky was a mixture of orange bleeding into deep purple now, the sun almost completely out the sky and Ivy had been walking for what had to have been an hour and the gate still hadn't shown reappeared. She had to have run into it by now. It was that far out from that cosplayer's house.

So where the hell was it?

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

Heyo guys, welcome back to my story. Technically. I'm really just fixing up my old chapters before posting chapter 10. Sorry for the long wait and technically even longer wait before I actually upload chapter 10. Originally it was taking a long time in order to write a much longer chapter length but then I got laid off from work and fell into a depressive slump where I didn't want to create anything. Even now, I'm still unemployed and looking for work. But I want to pull myself out of it. So I want to move forward one day at a time and try and get my creative spark back through fixing AFG's old chapters and get some kind of literary rebirth while trying to fix my life.

If anyone is still reading this, I hope you like this chapter's fixing.


	2. Nelly Says, It Was Only Just a Dream

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** With an anime loving best friend, Ivy has heard plenty about whatever show of the week they're into. But when she manages to cross the gate during an attempt to take a shortcut home, she finds herself in a frightening position. The main character in an Another World fanfiction trope; and with reluctance, she finds herself teaming up with the main characters to get back home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

_It's just a dream, just a dream._

Ivy's eyelids snapped wide open as she tried fighting the droopiness in her eyelids.

She was back at the Rockbell house, sitting on their porch. After her discovery that the shortcut she had walked through before had magically vanished, Ivy wandered back. Even if this was just a dream, there was no way she'd sit on any other porch. All the other available options were on definitive farm land with sheds that would probably have chain saws that tore off hapless victim's faces. Sitting on the porch of the dream girl she all but cussed out was better than waiting in the middle of fictional sheep country for the dream to go pear-shaped.

But what felt like five years later, Ivy's ass had all but became numb and the idea that she'd be waking up soon seemed to diminish.

_A very boring dream._ Ivy covered her mouth as a heavy yawn approached, eyes closing despite herself._ Why couldn't I be dreaming of Leonardo DiCaprio flying me off to the stars instead?_ A dream where she meets the designated love interest of the protagonist of an anime her best friend adores? That's when you know the second hand consumption has reached a boiling point. Then again, this was more like a nightmare that Akasha would rave about like a maniac if it happened.

_"Why do you like this show so much anyway?" Ivy eyed her friend who was hunched over her bed, giggling at the manga she was holding in her lap._

_Akasha looked up, smile still present. "Ed's such a great a character. Al too. And the story isn't drawn out in a million episodes and chapters like a lot of other shows are." She set the manga to the side. "It has badass girls in it- oh and the mangaka is a girl too!"_

_One of Ivy's eyebrows perked up. "Oh worm?"_

_"Yeah!" Akasha scooted closer to her friend, flipping to the beginning of her book and pointed to a picture of a chibi cow. "She uses a pen name and draws herself up as a cow, but I thought for a bit that she was a guy but nope! Turns out one of the greatest stories ever told was made by a woman." She flipped over to the page that showed a picture of a woman with-_

_"Are those dreads or micro braids?"_

_"Pretty sure those are micro braids." Akasha waved her hand as if to say the woman's 'do wasn't the important subject matter. "This is Izumi, Ed and Al's old alchemy teacher and she's awesome. All the girls in this manga have realistic bodies!"_

_Ivy puckered out her lips with a nod and wave of her own hand. "They definitely look better than the girls in One Jeep."_

_"One Piece"_

_"Yeah, I know. I just said it wrong to mess with ya."_

_"So did you wanna borrow volume one?!"_

_Ivy's face scrunched like she got a whiff of soured milk. "Hard pass, alchemy hoe. But the fun facts were dope."_

"Hey. Hey girl."

A hand clasped on Ivy's shoulder and she all but jumped out of her skin, backpack flying in the direction of her assailant. "Oh my g- oh my god, Lady. Why?" Ivy nearly cried.

The lady looked unamused as Ivy's backpack plopped to the floor, in a semi-slow motion. In one of her hands was a lantern. "You've been sitting on our porch for hours like a cat stuck waiting for the rain to pass." She pointed out and Ivy could finally note that the lights of the house had turned off completely, heart still beating out of control. "I thought maybe you were thief waiting til we fell asleep but…"

Ivy shook her head. "Not interested in what you have. I'm just…. Waiting."

"Waiting for what?" The old woman countered.

The dim light didn't do much to give an accurate depiction of the woman as far as her hair and eye color, but she was short. Like, hobbit height from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. And her hair was bound tightly in an odd bun. But she was considerably less frightening than what Ivy was expecting to appear behind her.

_Waiting to wake up._ "... Waiting for the sun to come up, I guess."

There was a pause, then the lady sighed. "Do you have anywhere to go?"

Ivy paused herself, rubbing her shoe into the wooden porch step she was still on. "Not exactly." Ivy scratched at her coily hair that was now on brushing against her shoulder, the bun she had kept it long since taken out. "No. I don't." She added truthfully.

Oldie sighed again with a look of exasperation. "It's last minute, but why don't you come inside and sleep on the couch and we can talk in the morning when we both wake up?"

"..." _Just a dream, just a dream._ Ivy repeated. _I'll wake up…. Now._ Nothing. _Okay….. Now!_ Nothing happened. …. _Girl, just get your ass inside the house._ "... Thank you." Ivy mumbled, picking up her backpack and small duffel bag as the lady stepped aside to let her in. "I can just sleep on your couch."

"We do have a guest room, you know."

"I, uh, don't wanna impose since it's so late?" _Like hell am I just gonna sleep inside some room that could quickly turn into a torture chamber because dream logic._ Ivy ignored the biting sensation of denial. She was just happy this was just a really realistic, slow-paced, boring dream with just a plain old lady and a bunch of sheep.

The woman still looked suspicious, but she shrugged ultimately. "I'll go get you some blankets then."

"Thank you, Miss…"

"Just call me 'Pinako'." The old lady said.

"Ivette, just call me Ivy."

Pinako nodded as she turned on a lamp which did something to ease Ivy's nerves as she started toward a closet. Thankfully when she opened the door, the contents of said closet were just blankets and pillows. "It's a bit warm since it's summer so I hope you don't mind a wool blanket."

"Sheep wool?"

"Have you seen the town?"

"Touche." Ivy really couldn't argue with that as Pinako brought her sleeping materials. It felt a little itchy, but it was soft to the touch. "I've never actually used a wool blanket before…" She mumbled, more to herself than to the woman she was actually standing in front of.

"Do you have any pajamas?"

"Oh um, I don't need any." Ivy planned on just sleeping in her clothes, all things considered.

"Just wait here." The woman was dismissive in her tone. "We just finished up laundry so I'm sure my granddaughter has something you can fit. Though you're a bit taller than her. And more muscular." Ivy didn't bother voicing how volleyball did that to people as Pinako returned with some shorts and an oversized shirt. "She has endless shirts and shorts like these, so I doubt that she'll mind you wearing a set."

"T-thanks."

"Well I'll see you in the morning." Pinako said, resigning herself to the morning. "I'll see you in the morning. Don't forget to turn off the lamp when you're done changing."

"Y-yeah. The morning."

The clothes were soft, plain, but familiar and comforting and Ivy set her jersey and jeans into her duffel bag. Shoes kicked unceremoniously off before she considered actually being a mild mannered guest and set them against her bags gently. _Even though I guess it doesn't matter how polite or rude you are considering this is a dream._ Ivy's chest felt murky. She saw it in dramatic movies sometimes. Like Avatar! (The blue people movie. Not the one with the airbender.)

Jake would fall asleep in his avatar body then wake up in his regular human body until the final act of the movie, all the time.

Ivy sat down on the couch, the cold of it not as jarring as she thought it would be and lead over to turn the light off. _I'm guessing that it's just taking forever a bus to show up. Gonna blame the traffic._ She thought back to the most plausible time it would have been for her to fall asleep in broad daylight. That time she sat on the bench to text Akasha. It's happened before. Well not at a bus stop. But the amount of times Ivy fell asleep while scrolling on Instagram or reading something then woke up to the blearing white of the light of her room she forgot to turn off thinking 'When the hell did I clock out?' wasn't rare.

She yawned loudly, placing her head on the pillow at last. The warmth of the wool blanket was so real. Maybe this entire day was a dream. That happened once in middle school for a couple days where she kept dreaming about tomorrow before tomorrow actually happened so she kept feeling confused every time she woke up asking why the date was the same.

Ivy's last coherent thought was in regards that she didn't have her sleeping cap on to protect her hair.

* * *

Ivy blinked blearily as natural light streamed into her vision. Her hair frizzed out around her was vision obscuring and her was sunken into a pillow. She felt like she was in her own pajamas, curled up into a ball in her own blanket.

_Huh. I guess it really was like that time in middle school._ Ivy closed her eyes again, desperate for five more minutes of being unconscious.

...

_Oh god that means I'm running late for school!_ Ivy shot up immediately as she thought about how light it was in her room. "Mo-" Ivy's mouth dried like she ate a sour plum as she saw her surroundings.

_Not my room._

It was the same wooden, Little House on the Prairie-esque house she fell asleep in last night. A couple of boxes of plastic limbs and wires a weird, but in place prop of sorts in the living room were the most extravagant thing in the room. Ivy flung the blanket off and reached for her jeans in her loosely zipped duffel bag, scrambling for her cell phone.

49% of life.

The time and date as well as the city location her phone usually told her on the home screen, however, was blanked out due to lack of connection. The lack of bars and small red X in place of where the reception bars would normally be seeming brighter than usual in her panic.

_Oh my gosh. You can't be fucking serious._

It was then that Ivy started hearing footsteps behind her and she shoved her phone into her duffel bag once more like she touched scorching stone. Her phone was not of this time, Ivy knew that much from what little she already did know about Akasha's poison. She pulled out her jeans, trying her best to act nonchalant and completely normal.

"Ah so you're awake now." The raspy voice behind her said, sounding pleasantly surprised. "You slept in. Everyone else has been up and about for almost an hour now."

"O-oh um, sorry about that." Ivy turned to look at the short woman, smiling nervously. "I was pretty tired last night." Pinako had an oily, used rag on her shoulder as she slipped off a pair of brown gloves that were both missing the finger slip for the index finger.

"I'm sure you were, camping on our porch step most of the night." She remarked. "Must be a hard way to try and sleep."

Or when you try to wake yourself from what is quickly becoming a not dream. "... Yeah."

"There's breakfast left for you on the table if you want it, though it's gone cold now." Pinako added. "I hope you don't mind."

"I eat cold food all the time, don't worry." Ivy had many a sleepover that went on all night with pizza she, Akasha, and Austin had refused to reheat to avoid the sounds of the microwave waking anyone up. _I'm guessing this isn't a microwave heavy time period._

Pinako raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of what you're used to." She crossed her arms. "Do you mind telling me what you were waiting for last night in more depth? It isn't everyday that happens to us. Some kid camping out on our porch."

"Y-yeah… I was just.. Waiting."

"For the sun to come up, you said. Are you a traveler?"

Ivy started grinding her socked foot into the wooden floor. "Not exactly.." Not at all. Ivy hadn't ever left the state of California, let alone somehow crossed on over to a fictional setting for travel. "I'm kinda… stuck."

"'Stuck?'"

Ivy nodded hopefully looking calmer than the storm brewing in her mind. O_kay okay okay, what would Akasha do? What would Akasha do? Not tell the protagonists that she's from a world where everything here is completely fake. That would be fake as hell. She'd send me to a crazy house or wherever the hell. Or call the cops! Oh god how are black people treated in this-_

"Am I making you nervous right now?"

Ivy snapped out of the panic in her mind then halted her practically grinding her foot through Pinako's floor before nodding. "I kinda had a rough day yesterday."

"I think I heard a bit about it."

The exchange between her and Winry yesterday came back to Ivy's mind and she winced. Of course Winry probably vented to her grandma about the angry chick that stormed out the house after mocking her name. "... Sorry about that. I kinda took something out on your granddaughter that had nothing to really do with her."

Pinako's poker face was hard to read, but she ultimately nodded. "I'm not the one who really needs apologizing."

"Er, where's your granddaughter at? I can do that right now."

"She's out walking Den right now, so I'd appreciate you apologizing to her when she came back." Pinako answered. "She was pretty down the rest of the night after what happened."

"I will." Ivy could do that at least. Before going back to the real problem at hand. Where would she even go!? What would she even do? Hell what would Akasha, the one who really belonged to be in this situation for sheer force of well-preparedness, do?

Pinako was apparently thinking the same thing as the next thing she said that grounded the girl back to reality was, "So where are you planning to go next? Did you have a plan of where to go next?"

"... No." _Small bits of truth. I can tell small bits of truth._ Ivy decided. Just not the whole truth. "I'm having problems at home." Getting home. "And a rough time on the phone yesterday. So I kinda…"

Pinako put two and two together, "So you're a runaway?"

"Yeah." Ivy said dumbly, that was better than anything else she could have said. "And my resources are kinda…. Crappy."

"Define crappy."

"Virtually nonexistent?"

That got Pinako to sigh and turn around for a few seconds, grumbling something that Ivy was pretty sure went 'Kids these days, making things complicated for their parents. You're getting too old for this, Pinako'. "Well, I guess I have no choice." Pinako said at last. "I suppose that for the time being you can stay here with me and my family. As long as you can help out with the chores."

"T-thanks." There was no prick of dread or relief that Ivy could decide she was feeling. "I really appreciate this, Ms. Pinako."

"Just make sure to wash your dishes after you finish your breakfast." Pinako said with a hint of finality. "And make sure to get along with Winry."

"I will!" Ivy had no reason to actually beef with Winry. Before Ivy blew up on her, she had actually been pretty easy to talk to. "She seemed nice."

Pinako did seem a bit pleased at the statement. "She's passionate and stubborn, but she's still pretty sincere." She spoke with a tone of nostalgia that Ivy was pretty sure only adults could really have, thinking about the years. "She's just a tad bit passionate about automail, I thought I'd let you know. So try not to be surprised when she swoons over it."

_I'm not sure if I'm really surprised about that. Akasha's complained about a crazy gearhead before._ Ivy thought, but she just smiled wordlessly as Pinako finally left to wherever she came from.

Ivy's stomach rumbled a beat later and she sighed. _Breakfast first, crisis second._ Breakfast was left for her on a plate with some tin foil wrapped around it in an attempt to keep the food preserved. Peeling it off revealed it to be some grits and eggs and some sliced pieces of toast. _This is a lot more normal a breakfast that I was really expecting for a fantasy setting._ She munched on one of the toast slices as she took in everything all over again.

The kitchen was decent, not prosthetic body parts to be seen anywhere and smelled like the cold food items on her plate. And there was a window staring out at the rolling green hills of the pastures. The sky was a clear blue, few clouds dotting it but the ones that were existing were white and wispy.

It almost looked…. normal.

Like you would think maybe you were in some random country show, not some story about a boy and his suit of armor brother and some guy Ivy vaguely remembered that could snap flames from his fingers. She shuddered thinking about it. _I'm really thinking this should have been Akasha that should be sitting here._

She'd knew exactly what to do. Would probably follow her fanfiction's format to a T. Ivy felt a sliver of regret from never reading her friend's stories even if they hadn't made sense to her due to not knowing the characters. At least now they would have been _some_ kind of guideline to follow for someone stuck in a new world. Provided _some_ kind of solution to get back home.

_What would Akasha do?_ Ivy wiped away the crumbs she felt lingering around her lips. _What would I do right now if I were a fangirl who did nothing but eat, sleep, and breathe this show._

_"I would totally learn alchemy from Ed and Al if I were in FMA and had to pick a skill to have!" Akasha grinned._ Ivy couldn't exactly remember what lead up to this particular conversation. But they apparently had had it nonetheless; that particular day, Akasha had been rambling on and on about how she wished that alchemy was a required class at their. _"Oh! Maybe I could learn from Roy though- oh oh! Or maybe from Armstrong, omg that would be so funny."_

_Okay, she would learn how to do alchemy._ Ivy rolled her eyes. That answer was obvious enough. _But what the heck would she do if she were trying to-_ Ivy didn't bother trying to finish up that thought.

Akasha wouldn't even try to come home.

Ivy sighed, appetite gone and she laid her chin on the table. _I just wanna get out of here…_ Ivy closed her eyes, finding the wooden aesthetic of the Rockbell kitchen annoying to see all of a sudden instead of the faux marble ones of her house that her mom adored. _Universe, just…. Bring me what I need. Bring me home._

A door creaked open suddenly and Ivy opened her eyes, half stooped that her little spiel actually had worked- but the wooden, old timey house she had been in three minutes ago, was the house that remained.

A dog, Den, excitedly ran inside to the kitchen before running back out to the living room like she wasn't sure that she entirely knew where she was trying to go yet. Her claws and metal prosthetic making two different, distinct pitter patter on the floor. Despite herself, Ivy smiled a little. At least the dog was cute.

Then the cheerful laughter followed, "You're not getting a treat, y'know." Winry entered Ivy's line of vision, dressed in her jumpsuit from before. This time, it was half tied around her waist. "It's too early for them."

Den made a lap in circles, but Winry only laughed again before finally noticing the girl in the kitchen watching the scene. The blonde's look of glee morphed into an awkward and nervous smile faster than a metaphor Ivy couldn't think of at the moment. Ivy returned a lackluster grin of her own. "Um, hi. Granny said you spent the night." There was no time for Ivy to reply because Winry flustered added, "Not that it wasn't obvious when I came down for breakfast or anything."

"Yeah. Sorry about taking up the space on your couch."

"It's no problem at all!"

The tension was almost sickening. "... So um, about yesterday." Ivy's right leg bounced, fighting the urge to grind her toes into the floor once more. "I'm sorry I snapped at you before. I kinda got mad at someone else and kinda just took it out on you like you had something to do with it when you didn't. So I'm really sorry that I kinda really fudged my whole first impressions scenario." _Why did I say 'kinda' so many times, god?_

Surprise danced in blue eyes. "Oh um, it's really no problem!" It kind of was when it turned out it wasn't a cosplayer prank of a situation, just the universe monumentally blowing up in Ivy's face. "I should have been more sensitive since you were just talking about how you really had a bad phone call with your mom so I should have- oh, did you want to try calling her again?"

Ivy waved a hand. "Nah. I guess for now, my mom and I aren't really on talking basis." _Literally because her phone number doesn't exist._ "So you're granny and I just had a talk. She said I could stay for a while. As long as I help with chores and stuff. So… we get to be roomies for now."

The sad look from yesterday returned, but this time it stayed. "That's… really sad to hear."

"That I'm staying here for a while?" Ivy raised an eyebrow, not sure if she should be offended considering the whole deal from yesterday. Would Winry being upset still make sense? Yes. But she'd still feel a little slighted about it.

"No!" The reply was rushed, mostly out of nerves than actual snip. Way less snark than what Ivy would have expected from the apparent worse character of a show. "I just… you and your mom not talking. It's really sad." Winry looked down at the ground, not seeming hurried to say anything else.

_Didn't Akasha say that her parents were dead yesterday?_ "..." _You ever feel guilty as hell because you made a fictional character sad and feel like your mom is being painted as some awful woman? Because boy if that ain't a mood._ Ivy stood up, flustered. "Er, hey it's fine alright? Moms and daughters fight all the time, y'know? So you don't have to feel bad. We just need some space! I'm pretty sure that you get it." And you're about to make things worse, add something about grannies! Add something about grannies! "Grannies, moms, women."

Winry was opening her mouth, but Ivy beat her to the punch. "What if we just start this over again? With introductions." Ivy walked two, three paces to a comfortable distance in front of the mechanic. Paying attention now, Ivy was definitely the taller between the two of them. "I'm Ivy Carter." Ivy stuck out her hand. "Well, Ivette Carter technically but I hate that. My mom named me after her favorite aunt. So just Ivy or V. You get to pick your poison. It's nice meeting you, Miss…"

Winry took a step back at first, probably because Ivy was a mess that was all over the place. But nonetheless, she still smiled back warmly and placed a light hand in Ivy's. "Winry Rockbell. It's nice meeting you too. We're gonna work you to the bone letting you live here with us!"

"How comforting of you." Ivy rolled her eyes but she made sure she was smiling when she did the action to let her new friend of sorts know that she was still in good spirits.

"We're automail engineers after all! So we're always gonna need some help!" Winry crossed her arms, nose in the air. "Laundry day's passed so you'll have to make up for the lost day of chores! I think fair interest is in order after all. So you can help with walking Den and dishes!"

Den who had since calmed down, laying down in a tired heap. "Long walk?" Ivy whispered.

Winry nodded, tone lowering as well. "I feel bad sometimes when we can't play since I'm busying in the workshop so I make sure we get a long one at least once a week."

Ivy nodded, like she totally got it. She didn't have a pet of any kind back home. She definitely wasn't working her own job either. "So I'm guessing you're pretty busy here then?"

"Kind of." Winry walked passed Ivy to kitchen table to take a seat, gesturing over to where Ivy had just been sitting and smiling when Ivy nodded. "We're no Rush Valley but we still have regular in town, so we get a steady service!" Winry added as she took a seat. "Lately we've mostly been making traditional prostheses. Not a lot of people in town use automail and sometimes we get to ship out to others in nearby towns too."

"Winry's Automail Delivery Service."

That made Winry smile, hand on her cheek as the other one waved about. "Not really! We just let the postmen handle that! We don't really get to travel. But one day I'm definitely going to Rush Valley. It's my dream!"

"And Rush Valley is…?"

If hearts had the ability to float around the air, Ivy was sure that they'd be all over Winry right now as she closed her eyes like she was imagining a holy land. "_Just the Amestrian hub of automail engineering!_ If I could go there just once, I'd die!"

"Winry! If you're back now come help me in the workshop!" The fact Den hadn't even moved from the bout of yelling was a testament to how tired she was.

Winry jumped, her flight of fancy grounded. "Coming, Granny!" She looked back at Ivy, smiling carefreely. The feeling felt contagious now that the awkward blood around them had gone. "I'll talk to you later. You should finish your breakfast! Maybe if today isn't busy Granny will let me off early today and I can show you around Resembool since I'm guessing you've never actually been here."

"That'd be really nice, actually."

With a whish of her hair and final smile, Winry was gone and Ivy sighed.

As nice as these people were, this was going to be long however long she was going to be stuck in this world situation.

* * *

That very morning, unbeknownst to Ivy Akasha had been dreaming after she had typed most of the night away on her laptop writing the first chapter of A Fangirl's Dream.

_Akasha Maverick kicked a tiny pebble across the paved road as she walked the paved road of Dublith, Amestris._

_Once again, she had managed to get into another fight with the smallest, no youngest, State Alchemist known in Amestrian history._

_And as it turned out, like a lot of the girls she had read about in the Fullmetal Alchemist section of her favorite fanfiction writing website, living in the world of alchemy wasn't the dream getaway she always thought it would be._

_Sure she had been a fan since eighth grade and new basically everything about it. Sure she had finally began learning alchemy just as she had always wanted and even had been taught by Izumi Curtis herself. But right now, those small victories felt hollow. She couldn't stop Maes Hughes from dying. She wasn't sure when Greed's attack would take place since Edward hadn't left yet to do his State Alchemist assessment. Worst of all, she couldn't stop herself for falling in love with Edward Elric._

_For him._

_Not just because he was basically the pinnacle of drop dead gorgeous in anime character terms._

_But because he was just a cute, stubborn, crude alchemist from some sheep town in the east with the sweetest little brother ever._

_All of which, she had written into her diary that she had been keeping as a sort of record of her daily adventures and alchemy notes. _I guess looking back now, writing about how I'm from a world where everything in this world is just an anime was a dumb idea._ Akasha wanted to kick herself this time. _You're such an idiot, Akasha!

_Because what had happened just felt like minutes ago, Edward had came to her throwing her diary back at yelling about he had ready everything about how she came from another world. How Mr. Hughes was dead now and she made no effort to try and stop it._

_Akasha wanted to cry._

Now what am I gonna do?

_"Akasha!"_

_Akasha jolted and turned around, long brown hair flowing in the wind from the action._ Ed?

_There the boy was, running towards her like his life depended on it and when he reached her, his voice was red. Flushed. And he was panting like a dog on a hot summer day. "Ed, what are you doing here?" Akasha took a step back, eyes darkening. "I get it already, okay? You're mad at me and I betrayed you. You don't need to walk me to the train station." She turned around, trying to continue but stopped when she felt a metal hand wrapped around her wrist._

_"Wait a minute!"_

_I raised an eyebrow. "What the hell am I to you huh? Some trusty dog?" I snapped. "You said you wanted me get the hell out of here!"_

_"We need to talk!" Edward's breathing was finally regulated, though his face was still flushed. "About the things you wrote!"_

_"So now you wanna talk?" Akasha snorted, yanking her hand back. She looked away darkly, trying to emulate what she knew Ivy would do in this situation. Her best friend in the real world was less than tolerant about this kind of thing and Akasha could be too. "What about before when I was at Izumi's? You didn't wanna talk then. I don't wanna talk now. So just let me go so I can buy my ticket out of here!"_

_She was planning on going back to Central. Roy had to have made his move there by now. So she could hopefully meet up with him somewhere._

_"I'm sorry, okay?!" Edward snapped back. "I was being a hot head! I wasn't thinking!" He caught his breath before continuing. Maybe his breath wasn't back to normal after all. "I-I know you're probably out of it too and going through a lot and… and I read some more of your diary trying to see if anything about our time together was just a lie or not and I saw."_

_Akasha paused, tilting her head to the side curiously. "Saw what?" She asked. There was a lot of things in there that he saw that he spat back out to her face before. Then Edward's face turned red enough to blend into his coat and he looked away before mumbling,_

_"I saw something you wrote about… your feelings."_

_Akasha's face nearly turned to ash and without a word she turned to get ready to run away._

_"Hey wait a minute!" His hand was wrapped around her wrist again. "I just wanted to say that-"_

_"Let me go! I don't wanna hear what you're gonna say!"_

_"That I-"_

_"Let!"_ Why...

_"Lo-"_ Am I doing this...

**_When I should be telling him how I feel?_**

"Akasha, wake up!" Akasha jolted up to the sound of her older twin shouting through her door and groaned. "We gotta get ready for school!"

"Get away from my room!" She shouted back. He knocked on her door a couple more times and she got off her bed. "Austin!" The cretin laughed, feet thudding on the ground as he ran off to his own room. Akasha sighed. _Can the Law of Equivalent Exchange bring me a cooler brother?_ She looked over at the poster closest to her bed of her favorite brotherly duo, the Elrics.

When she heard no sounds of alchemy transmuting, she sighed again guessing her wish was too much for the universe to grant.

Akasha grabbed her phone and typed in her passcode, surprised that her phone had already opened up to her thread with Ivy. She must have forgot to go back to her home page after finishing her most recent text.

**Me**

_Oh there's this shortcut Austin and I use in reese park!_

**Saison Marguerite**

_Describe this, how you say, shortcut_

**Me**

_I'm changing your name in my phone to Saison Marguerite_

_But go passed that giant water fountain that's by the swings? It's right passed that_

_Ya can't miss it, it's a short walk!_

After that, Akasha didn't hear her phone notify her and just assumed the best, continuing on her writing. She was on a roll. A Fangirl's Dream was going to be her masterpiece! Now looking at the thread again, there was still no reply from her best friend about spotting the shortcut or if it truly was the greatest thing known to man.

Reese Park was right next an apartment complex, it almost seemed to go right lead right into the park for how seamless it was placed. And the marker of recognition was this community board with a bunch of small handprints in various paint colors. It was from the summer that there was a huge arts and crafts boom in the park's rec center and Akasha remembered how she chose blue, Austin green, and Ivy purple.

Then on the other side, the apartment lead right to Main Street.

It was pretty straight forward.

Akasha readied her fingers to tell her friend how Austin was being a prick when the shrill voice of Melanie made its way through her door. "Akasha, can you come here please?!" For the love of sweet alchemy, why?! Ivy might have thought that Melanie was nice, but Akasha refused to budge on her opinion.

She waited a second, hoping that she could just ignore her.

But not a moment later, her dad's voice was calling her over too. "Akasha! Austin, you too!"

"... coming!"

Scathingly, Akasha tossed her phone to her bed. Leaving her room, seeing her dad and Melanie looking at each other worriedly and talking under their breath. "Yeah? What is it?" When they didn't respond, Akasha nudged Austin who looked just as annoyed to be there.

'What's going on?' Akasha mouthed, nodding her head over at their parents. Well, parent and technical guardian.

Austin shrugged.

"Alright you two, we have a question." Their dad, Peter, started slowly. Melanie was twisting her fingers together, anxious. Akasha bit the inside of her cheek. She didn't need Melanie's nerves rubbing off and making her anxious before school. "When was the last time either of you heard from Ivette?"

Akasha raised an eyebrow. "Yesterday?"

"Uh yeah. Same here." Austin added. "She had volleyball practice yesterday."

"Anything else? Akasha? I know you two are really close, did Ivy tell you anything yesterday that might have been strange or-"

Akasha cut her father off, defensive. "Are we in trouble or something?"

Peter and Melanie shared their own looks and Akasha felt a spark of irritation as she saw Melanie lay a hand on Peter's shoulder. Peter breathed in deeply. "Ivette's mother called us just now." He raised his own hand to clasp it atop Melanie's. "She said Ivette never came home."

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

And here's Updated Chapter 2. I like how it turned out even though I haven't really changed much when I think about it. Aside from adding the end of chapter 3 to the end of chapter 2 which I will also be updating today before calling it quits. I missed the initial first chapters of when Ivy was in Resembool and writing her reactions. I wanted them to be grounded in realism and made a list of questions I would probably ask myself if I one day woke up in a world that my friends were fans of but I wasn't. I'll talk more about what else I enjoyed about her beginnings in Resembool when I fix up some of the next chapters I'll be fixing up so I don't accidentally spoil anything for any new readers that stumble upon this.

If anyone is still reading this, I hope you like this chapter's fixing.


	3. Ole MacDonald Had a Jog

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** With an anime loving best friend, Ivy has heard plenty about whatever show of the week they're into. But when she manages to cross the gate during an attempt to take a shortcut home, she finds herself in a frightening position. The main character in an Another World fanfiction trope; and with reluctance, she finds herself teaming up with the main characters to get back home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

_And I'm still here._

Ivy had been in Resembool for about a week now and every morning since she'd been with the Rockbells, she woke up just the same. Early in the morning, expecting to brace herself for another school day and listening to Akasha swoon. Then her eyes adjusted and she saw the green wooden ceiling instead of the cream, popcorny ceiling of her own room and remembered that she wasn't in Vallant anymore.

Ivy dug face into her pillow and took a deep breath, bracing herself to get the day started.

_One, two, three._

Ivy stood up, eyes falling onto a chair with a set of clothes on it. Pinako had been lending her clothes to wear since all she had now coming to Resembool, was her backpack, her volleyball duffel bag, a phone she was constantly turning on and off in desperation to keep the thing from dying, and school notebooks smashed into her backpack haphazardly.

Still, she took off her pajamas in exchange for her volleyball jersey and some shorts to take her morning jog. In Vallant, Ivy had saved her morning jogs for the weekend, not having time to during the school week. It had become a routine start of her day now that she didn't have school anymore.

Ivy tiptoed quietly down the stairs, wincing whenever there was even a slight creak emitting from where she stepped until she finally reached the front door.

The smell of tobacco and the morning grass mixed together in a weird mixture of gross and familiarity and Ivy looked over to the right, seeing Pinako sitting in her rocking chair. "Mornin', Pinako."

With another drag, Pinako nodded in acknowledgement. "Off to jog?" Ivy nodded back, smiling. Ivy had kept her past vague whenever Pinako inquired about it, but she had revealed that she played sports. "_I can't just get out of shape even though I'm not home." Ivy mumbled over the food in her mouth._ Then Pinako said something about not talking with her mouth full.

"Yep." She squatted down as Den approached her, tail wagging. _I still would totally take this dog back with me to Vallant if it wouldn't break the space-time continuum._ "Want me to take Den with me?" The dog was great company for a jog, never running too far ahead and really responsive to being reeled back in.

"If you want." Pinako's eyes were closed, completely relaxed. "Just make sure you're back in an hour for breakfast. I'm making some pancakes since we still have some sugar for syrup. So I'll probably have you and Winry go to the market today and buy some more."

Ivy stood back at her full height, "Got it! You'll see me in thirty!" She loved pancakes. Taking a step down the porch, Ivy smiled down at Den. "Come on, girl! Wanna go with me on a run?" The slight wagging turned into a full frenzy as the dog barked and sprinted down the stairs, she looked back at Ivy as if to say 'Hurry up, slowpoke!' And with that, Ivy followed.

Without the smell of tobacco mixed in, the morning air of Resembool was fresh. Probably the freshest air Ivy had ever gotten a whiff of. The strong manure smell had began to ease on her nose and in the morning, the grass smelled more dewy than anything else. Livestock had already started being let out into their grounds and Ivy could spot a butterfly beating its wings as it flew over pink patches of clover blossoms. The grass was the greenest thing Ivy had ever seen and the air was warm, the occasional cool breeze hitting Ivy's face.

Resembool was alive.

That fact was ingrained in Ivy's mind every morning.

"Morning, New Girl!" The boy- Otto- from a few days ago shouted, and Ivy gave him a wave as her pace remained. She usually saw him or Erial during this time and though they didn't talk much, it had already started to feel routine for one of them to shout some kind of greeting to her when she ran.

The people were alive too.

Ivy ran and ran until she could start seeing the buildings of the main town and shops more clearly and with a few wide paces, halted to a stop. "Den! Girl, stop running!" The dog's tongue was lolling out and she sprawled out to the ground, relieved. Ivy tried keeping her breathing through her nostrils. And no gate to be seen. Again._ I don't know why I keep expecting to just show up again._

When she had received her Resembool tour, there had been zero evidence of this magically appearing gate. But the one thing Ivy did know was that it had let her out between the midpoint of the main Resembool village and where the Rockbells lived. Then it vanished without any sort of trace, leaving Ivy here to just run around the town until it hopefully popped up again.

_I'm never gonna get home at this rate._

Ivy shuddered. "Come on, Den, let's get back to Pinako's."

The trek back was solemn, Ivy walking slowly with the occasional stop whenever Den needed a break. The surreal moments from before now drab in comparison as Ivy doubtfully kept an eye open for a gray gate, her one ticket home.

It remained unseen and Ivy found herself at her hosts' home with no fruits for her labor.

Den rushed passed her to get to her water bowl. The smell of syrup and bacon heavy in the air, Ivy found herself smiling a little. There's nothing pancakes can't fix. She leaned her head into the kitchen seeing the table already set with a few plates, one of which with a small stack of pancakes slowly building up like a fluffy, golden tower. Pinako was across from it at the stove top, scrambling eggs."Yo, we're back."

"Ah, welcome back." Pinako spared her a small glance before looking back at the eggs. "Breakfast'll be done in a minute. Do let that granddaughter of mine know and both of you wash up so you can finish setting the table."

"Upstairs or downstairs workshop?"

"Upstairs."

With a thumbs up, Ivy walked up the stairs where the upstairs workshop, as it had been coined. It was the closest room to the staircase. She had seen both when she was shown where everything was in their house. The downstairs workshop was more for clients from the town and keeping any orders they had stored neatly. It was spacious too, even having a couple of beds in it and what looked like surgeon's tools.

The upstairs workshop, on the other hand, was a lot smaller and the biggest thing in it aside from a drill press was a workbench. _"It's mostly for when we have a lot more down time and doing extra work with whatever metal we get from the blacksmith in town." Winry explained, smiling widely. "So I get to spend a lot time here coming up with new blueprints and designs!"_

Ivy had half expected the door to be close, since the blonde mechanic made it a habit to avoid Den coming into the room and potentially eating a stray bolt on the ground. But it was wide open, revealing Winry's hunched over form at her workbench. The limb she was working on, a leg, the pole that was the calf already attached to the foot.

Winry's gloved fingers moved nimbly, screwing something important with what Ivy was assuming to be the ball joint for the knee. She paid no mind to the world around her, completely in her zone. Winry smiled to herself and set down her screwdriver and Ivy had briefly thought 'Oh, I guess she did notice me come up the stairs' but the girl was surprised when the engineer gave what was on its way to becoming a full fledged prosthetic. It was almost as if they were having their own private conversation between prosthetic and automail engineer, blue eyes shining.

_Anime people really are the prettiest people in the universe._ Ivy blinked, no blemishes to be seen on Winry's face aside from a spot of oil. She wasn't even doing that thing where an anime character's hair flew threw the wind as cherry blossoms fell all around her. (Though that was likely due to the fact this place was clearly inspired by Europe.) She was just working over a prosthetic limb.

Ivy watched for an extra thirty seconds before she finally cleared her throat. "Winry, my love, breakfast doth wait for thee."

Blue eyes met brown, "Oh! You're back!" Winry stood up, arching her back in a long stretch. "Did you have fun on your jog? I don't get how you actually like running." She pulled off her green bandanna and Ivy smirked in amusement.

"We both like math which makes us equally weird, but it's weird that I like to run?"

"Yes. Yes, it is." Winry laughed. "Did Granny tell you that she wants us to go to town later to do some shopping?"

Ivy thought back to her conversation with Pinako that morning. "Yeah, we can do that whenever you're done with your leg." She gestured to it. "It looks different than the automail parts I see around the house."

Winry looked back at it and pointed at the white pole base. "This is one of the traditional prosthetics we make." She explained before taking off her craftsman's gloves. "Remember how I said that we usually deliver them around Amestris? Well, Granny says we just got an order for some from this town in western Amestris, close to Creta. Considering the situation there right now, we're trying to get them done as soon as possible, you know?"

_Is this one of those things about their country I should know already?_ Ivy thought, a flutter of panic in her chest. _This is one of those things about their country I should know about._ She nodded, hoping that her attempt at making a concerned face looked authentic. "It's pretty terrible. I get why you were so zoned out." Akasha had already told Ivy how much Winry had loved automail in prior conversations, but it was a lot easier seeing the passion Winry had for it up close and personal.

It was almost mesmerizing, in a weird and rhythmic way, watching the girl work.

"I should watch you work sometimes." Ivy usually just stayed clear whenever either of the Rockbells were working. But it seemed pretty relaxing.

Winry's eyes looked as if they were shining and about to fall out of her head. "You should!" I_ think I just created a monster._ "You'll love engineering, Ivy! It's like an artform!"

"Girls!" Pinako's voice thankfully stopped what Ivy knew was about to become a rambling session akin to one of Akasha's. "Have you washed up like I told you to?!"

"... Whoops." Ivy winced. "Yeah um, I was supposed to come here and tell you to wash up."

"We better hurry up before Granny actually comes up here with a broom or something then." Winry sported the same grimace. Pinako was loving but she was as strict as all hell. "It won't really take me long to finish this leg up so we can go in about an hour after breakfast to town, okay?"

Ivy opened her mouth to say something but Pinako's voice entered the air again. "Girls!"

* * *

"This town is pretty cute." Ivy noted, looking at the different shops. It looked like it was straight out of the set of Dr. Quinn, a show her grandma watched religiously when she came over since she had found a channel that played reruns of it. They had finally gotten to their errand giving by the matriarch of the Rockbell family, Winry leaving behind her mechanic get up for a white tank top and black skirt.

Ivy had only been to the main village once, her first official day in town when Winry gave her that tour, but now she was actually paying attention to it. It seemed lively, kids running around playing games and townspeople having their daily dose of gossip.

"What's your town like, come to think of it?" Winry asked without looking away from the list Pinako had given them. "You never really told me about it."

"Er…" Ivy looked away, trying to make her sudden interest in a practically fluorescent pink roll of fabric seem natural. "Oh um, I'm actually from the city."

Winry looked up from the paper, surprised. "Really?" Ivy nodded and Winry's face scrunched into an expression of disbelief. "But there's no close cities to Resembool for miles! How did you even get this far? Which city are you talking about? Central?"

_God fucking damn it, I hate myself so much!_ "Yeah. Central. Great place." She hoped Winry would just drop the topic, but of course that only made Winry want to talk about it more.

"You came all the way to Resembool from the city capital?" Ivy wanted to fling herself into the sun as Winry continued on. "What made you want to come all the way to here to where there's nothing but sheep?" Their walk had come to a full stop, the quest to finish up the market list put on the back burner.

Ivy started rubbing her shoe into the dirt. "I don't know."

"But-"

"Winry, can we just… not talk about me and home, right now?" Ivy snapped, looking at the dirt. "I just picked Resembool randomly on a map and wanted to get away from home and blew away all my funds, okay? That's why I'm here right now."

The pause was long before Winry quietly replied, "I'm sorry." She sounded the way that puppies looked when they had been kicked but Ivy didn't look at her face, fearing that the sudden guilt would consume her if she did._ Great going, Carter._ "I didn't mean to pry."

The Kill Bill sirens playing in Ivy's mind seemed to be timed to how hard her heart was beating. "It's fine." There was a pause. "We should hurry up and get what your grandma wants. Which store here has all the stuff she said she wanted?"

"It's that one." Winry pointed at a store with a blackboard stand in front of it labeled 'Lee's General'. "I can get the sugar and oil that Granny wants. Can you get the soap and crackers? She wants more snacks for when she's working so she doesn't have to get up and go to the kitchen."

"Yeah."

Winry lead the way, her head down and Ivy felt even worse. She knew that the girl hadn't meant any harm. She was just trying to be friendly and worry about her friend who had apparently ran away from drama back at home and wanted to try fixing the situation in any way she could. _But what the heck am I supposed to actually say?_ Ivy thought, grabbing a couple of soap bars. _Hey Winry, I actually come from a world where your entire life is fictional and somehow got here for some reason and I've been really just jogging around in the morning hoping the magical door that sent me here will reappear again. Did I mention that my best friend is obsessed with the show you're from?_

Ivy knew that confession would go as good as trying to tell a starving cannibal that you tasted bad and to avoid eating you to avoid a stomach ache.

Grabbing two boxes of crackers, Ivy sighed. _All I'm doing is just making things worse when I'm just trying to lay low and be normal until a way to come home appears._ She glanced over in Winry's direction and found the girl still looking over the different oil selections carefully. Before they had arrived to town, she had mentioned that usually they had to order their oil from Rush Valley since the general store could be hit or miss on whether or not they had quality oil to use. _"But sometimes we just have to grab something and make do with it until we get oil we actually like."_

Ivy looked over at some books instead, hoping to pass the time.

Farmer's Almanac.

Remembering Ishbal: A Recounting of the Ishbalan Civil War.

_Fictional political history?_ Ivy fumbled the products in her hand to one side as she lifted the book from its place on the shelf and turned it over to look at it's summary.

_The gunshot heard around the world that resulted in one of the bloodiest wars in Amestrian history. A novel recounting the rise to prominence of the small desert nation of Ishbal and it's political disagreements with Amestris and the events leading up to the civil war by world renowned historian… _Ivy turned the book back to the cover which was simply just a map of what she was assuming was Ishbal, then she placed it back on the shelf.

The Art of Wool Shearing.

The Basic Principles of the Science of Alchemy.

Ivy wasn't sure when the book got into her hand, but it soon was in her clutches.

_Alchemy- the science of understand, deconstructing, and reconstructing matter. However, it is not an all-powerful art. It is impossible to create something out of nothing. If one wishes to obtain something, something of equal value must be given. This is the law of Equivalent Exchange, the basis of all alchemy. In accor- _Ivy placed her items on the shelf to place two hands around the book for more balanced grip as she went to the table of contents. _Is there anything here about magical gates or things alternate dimensions being looked into via alchemy in here?_

The table of contents only consisted of five chapters.

None of which had either reference in there.

_Introduction by Tycho Brahe  
Preface  
One: The Law of Conservation of Mass  
Two: The Law of Natural Providence  
Three: The Three Phases of Alchemical Transmutation: Analysis, Deconstruction, Reconstruction  
Four: Forbidden Alchemy   
Five: Alchemy and Modern Amestris  
Afterward_

Ivy bit her lip. _Maybe there's something in the first few pages?_

"Ivy, did you find the soap and crackers okay?" Ivy nearly jumped at her skin as she looked to see Winry, bag of sugar lying atop a crate she was carrying. "We can ring everything up now."

"O-oh um yeah, I'm coming!" She placed the book back on the shelf reluctantly and grabbed her part in the errand. "Was just looking at the book selection here and saw some book about alchemy."

Winry blinked in surprise. "You do alchemy?"

"Not at all." Ivy shook her head as the two of them made their way to the cashier. _Not unless there's a way it can get me home._ "I just have a friend back home who's obsessed with learning about it." Akasha who had taken chemistry just because it was the closest thing they had to an alchemy class. Akasha who was vehement in trying to make it an actual graduation requirement._ I guess I can't really talk considering I took chemistry because of Breaking Bad._

"Huh, funny. I have two friends that are alchemy freaks too." She had a distant look on her face. _I'm guessing it's Edward and Alponz or whatever his name is that she's thinking about._ "I wonder what they're doing now. They left home a long time ago to look for something."

"Worried about them?"

"... I worry about them all the time. They're the worst at keeping in contact with us."

They reached the man at the register after falling into a small silence and Ivy was glad he was there to break the new tension between them. "Hey there, Winry. It's been a few days since you've been in town. How's that old lady of yours?"

Winry giggled lightly. "Granny's been fine. We've been a little busy though. We got an order for prosthetics to mail over to a town called Waidsill."

Concerned swept over the man's features. "Over by Creta? The situation there is getting worse by the day, I swear." He grumbled something under his breath that Ivy couldn't catch. "You and your grandmother whip those limbs into top shape!"

"We always do or my name isn't Winry Rockbell!"

The man, Mr. Lee?, looked over at Ivy. "Oh, who's your friend?"

"Oh." Winry set the sugar and oil crate on his register. "This is Ivy Carter, she's staying with me and Granny right now. Ivy, this is Mr. Lee. He and Granny are old friends."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Lee." Ivy set the cracker boxes and soap bars down next to Winry's materials. "I'm gonna be here for a while."

Mr Lee let out an 'ahh' of understanding. "Well ain't no one more hospitable than Pinako." He guffawed, slapping a hand on his stomach. "The stories I could tell you from when we were young! It's a surprise she ever settled down. Are you learning how to make automail?"

Ivy felt Winry stiffen beside her and and slowly looked over to see what face she was making. Hungry was, for lack of a better word, the first thing that came to mind.

"Er… I feel like if I say no, I'm going to be disappointing someone really badly right now."

That just made Mr. Lee laugh even harder and Winry puffed her cheeks out indignantly. "You should become Granny's apprentice! This is why you want to learn more about automail and watch me work, right?!"

_That requires me not going home, Winry._ "So how much for the oil and everything else?" Ivy said instead, looking pointedly away from the blonde who let out a 'hey!'

"That'll be 50 sens, please!" Mr. Lee wiped away a tear, a final chuckle escaping him. "They'll make an engineer out of you before you know it. It's the first time I've really seen Winry with a friend who isn't ready to run around doing errands fixing things up for everyone with alchemy. So she isn't gonna let you go just yet."

_I feel like I'm about to have my autonomy about this decision taken away._

Their purchase made, the two girls left Mr. Lee and his shop behind in favor of the Rockbell's shop. "You'll be making automail before you know it." Winry had muttered and Ivy was sure that if she was in 2D form, she'd be doing that anime sweat drop thing.

Silence slipped between the two of them as Ivy looked at Resembool now, the sun at the highest point in the air. The grass no longer had dew hanging off their blade tips and the breeze was warm. The spring-like feeling of the morning was gone. _Come to think of it, since our world was somehow connected I wonder if it's May here too._ Ivy made a mental note to check the calendar when they made it back.

Summer vacation had been just around the corner, only a month away. But here Ivy was ditching school by accident and with a fictional character. _Hell, what am I gonna tell Mom when I finally get back._ Ivy could only imagine the actual hell that would be unleashed when she did and the same amount of time happening in Resembool passed in real life. Her mom would send a sandal flying at her face so fast, Ivy could already feel the sting wondering if there really was a light at the end of a dark tunnel when you were about to die.

_Mom._

Ivy tried her hardest to look discreetly at Winry who was now only carrying the oil crate, Ivy holding onto everything else in a bag, her gaze lowered to the ground. She was lost in her own separate thoughts.

_"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry."_

The guilt from before returned as she remembered the downcast voice Winry had used. I still haven't apologized. "... Hey Winry?"

The blonde looked over, curious. Nonchalant. Yet Ivy knew that more than likely she was feeling the same tension."Yeah?"

"I just wanted to say sorry about earlier in town. I was kind of an asshole the other day. And then I was just kind of an asshole in town. I know you were just worried. I just… It's kind of complicated talking about home right now."

Winry looked back at the ground. "It's fine, Ivy. I shouldn't have pried."

"It was kind of a dumb move on my part making such a big travel jump." _She thinks that I ran away from home dumbly from the country capital._ "I'd probably be worried too if you told me the same thing. I shouldn't have snapped at you. I don't wanna hurt your feelings, we're friends now."

Winry stopped walking abruptly and Ivy halted, the dark feeling in her stomach starting to boil.

"... I just want you and your mom to get along. If that's what's happening."

"..." Ivy didn't say anything. She didn't have anything thought of to say. It would be ridiculous after all to say the truth. That she and her mom got along great. Because if that was the case, why run away from home and probably give your mom a heart attack?

"I… I think you probably noticed already about my parents." Winry continued after seeing Ivy wasn't going to say anything. "It's just me and Granny. Back when the civil war with Ishbal was still going on, soldiers came and had them come to the battlefield because there weren't enough doctors. But then my mom and dad never came back." _I already know that they're gone, Winry. I am so sorry._

Ivy almost felt sick knowing even a small semblance of knowledge about Winry's backstory.

"So I just think it's sad that you're both fighting. But I know that I don't actually know what it's like for you at home and that it's wrong for me to think you should go back and make up with your mom. But I don't want to force you to tell me anything and make us not get along."

"Hey, we might have tense moments but I think we're always gonna get along." Ivy gave the blonde a small nudge. "Who else will make me reconsider the wonders of automail."

Winry looked up, smiling softly and for a moment Ivy thought about how her eyes were so blue. The artist of this show really did a good job with her character design. Winry finally opened her mouth and the athlete had half expected something about automail to come out of her mouth. "You can talk to me about it whenever you're ready."

"I will." _I can't._ "Now no more disagreements between the two of us or else I'll throw myself into the sun."

Winry laughed and Ivy felt a small bit of the guilt leave. "Let's just hurry back to Granny so I can get back to work on our order." The two of them continued their trek light heartedly. "Will you still watch me work today?" Winry peered over, looking hopeful.

"Who am I to ruin a perfectly good make up session by saying 'no'?"

"Yes!" Winry laughed in victory, taking a few steps to the side to nudge Ivy's side.

The next morning, Ivy woke up to a book simply titled 'Automail' lying next to her on her pillow and laughed.

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

And here's Updated Chapter 3. There wasn't too much to change here other than giant hunk of text that I moved to chapter 2 for Akasha's POV but it was fun going through this chapter again. It's definitely a Winry and Ivy bonding moment chapter as Ivy reels into the fact that from the perspectives of her hosts, she's just some idiot who ran away from home and is financially unstable because she blew off all her money so she needs to be more patient when it comes to the questioning. So her nature of taking some kind of interest into her friend's hobbies came into play since she does consider Winry a friend at the this point.

I also really liked writing Ivy's perspective in how anime characters nine times out of ten always look really pretty but not feel jealous or spiteful because of it. I can't wait to start posting more of Akasha's POV in her story Swept Away.

If anyone is still reading this, I hope you like this chapter's fixing.


	4. Don't Say the A Word

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** With an anime loving best friend, Ivy has heard plenty about whatever show of the week they're into. But when she manages to cross the gate during an attempt to take a shortcut home, she finds herself in a frightening position. The main character in an Another World fanfiction trope; and with reluctance, she finds herself teaming up with the main characters to get back home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

Ivy quickly found herself back in Mr. Lee's General Store the next day.

"Yo, Mr. Lee!"

The man smiled pleasantly surprised, "Already looking to buy something for Pinako again?"

Ivy shook her head, eyes already skimming to wear the book section was. "Just getting some fresh air." The alchemy book was still there._ I didn't actually get to finish reading you yesterday._ "And some window shopping. Never been to Resembool before." She made a nonchalant stroll to them as Mr. Lee continued on from his place near the register.

"Ah. Are you planning on staying long?" He didn't sound suspicious. Ivy settled with it being that small town hospitality. "Resembool's usually not the first on anyone's list of places to visit."

Ivy looked over the table of contents again, hoping for some kind of clue. "Hmm, dunno. Maybe a little while. I think Winry's trying to make me stay. I woke up to a book on automail on my pillow this morning."

_Introduction by Tycho Brahe  
Preface  
One: The Law of Conservation of Mass  
Two: The Law of Natural Providence  
Three: The Three Phases of Alchemical Transmutation: Analysis, Deconstruction, Reconstruction  
Four: Forbidden Alchemy   
Five: Alchemy and Modern Amestris  
Afterward_

_Chapter four._ Ivy decided, absently hearing Mr. Lee laughing at her comment. She'd seen enough movies to know that weird and supernatural things were always found during the forbidden chapter about things you weren't supposed to do. Or during a quick offbrand google search. _Ugh why, couldn't this universe take place in a time with computers? I guess that would be too easy._

"... Ivy?"

"Er, yeah?" Ivy called back out. "Sorry, I was looking at these books you had. Can you repeat that?"

"Oh, sorry about that!" There was a bit of shuffling in the front and a quiet 'darn machine, needs polishing'. "I said that Winry's a stubborn one, just like her grandmother. She's a sweet girl. I'm glad she has a new friend, she's been working like a bee since Edward and Alphonse left the town. Did she tell you about them? Ed's a famous alchemist now!"

_Oh trust me, I know._ "Not really, I never really got into alchemy. But I think there are some pictures of two boys in their house, so I think I know who you're talking about."

Mr. Lee sighed, sounding distant. "The young ones grow up fast."

Ivy bit the inside of her cheek and when she heard nothing but the sound of Mr. Lee working quietly, she gave a mental sigh of her own. Mr. Lee was nice, but she needed to do her research right now. Ivy sat on the floor, flipping the pages until she landed on the page she was looking for.

_Forbidden Alchemy_

_Alchemists to the ordinary persons shall seem like unrestricted individuals, able to will the powers of creation and destruction with seeming ease. However, as discussed before alchemy isn't an art without its rules and principles. The basis of alchemy, Equivalent Exchange, was discussed thoroughly in Chapters One and Two. It will always remain true that an alchemist can only create something made of the same materials. That 'rule', however, can often be misconstrued by beginning alchemists. Equivalent Exchange is not just a principle but a limitation of all alchemists._

_Though through trial and error, scientists have come to agreements as to what is and isn't considered law breaking when it comes to alchemy._

_The most common infraction of amateur alchemists is making gold. Many believe alchemy is a practice they can use to achieve great wealth and prominence. On the contrary, that is one of the first laws of alchemy. One may not make themselves wealth through means of alchemy. And now there are even administrations in place to verify the legitimacy of the gold they receive and see if it had been made through alchemical purposes. _

_Another-_

Ivy turned the page. _Okay, okay, no gold can be made through alchemy. Kind of a waste._ She thought as she looked over the next page, seeing something about how it was illegal for alchemists to transmute false medals and awards. (Upon further thinking, Ivy did concede that it would be kind of a dick move if every alchemist and their mom suddenly started getting rich because they decided to make themselves some quick gold.)

_Not about a gate. Not about a gate. Not about a-_ Ivy set down the page she she was about to turn, pausing to read the bold lettering she barely managed to notice.

_Above all else, the utmost law that must be followed by alchemists is never attempting Human Transmutation. The act of using alchemy in any regards to human life. This may include human experimentation as well as attempting to raise the dead or create new life._

_A being of myth, the Homunculus-_

Ivy felt the urge to twist her foot around on the floorboard and bounced her leg instead. She knew Edward's face well enough. Eyes and hair both a matching gold color with a red cloak. _I wonder if the military found out about his trying to bring his mom back to life and that's why he works for them._ Ivy leaned her head back, trying to remember if Akasha said anything about. Nothing came to mind. M_aybe some alchemy dude took their bodies and is making them pay off their debt like a weird loan collector? And he's in the military too? Or…._ Ivy laid her face in her palm, exasperated. She should have just watched the show when Akasha was obsession over it.

She flipped forward a couple of pages before trying to check the index. Which the book didn't have.

"Hey, Mr. Lee? You don't happen to have any more books about alchemy do you?" She stood up, patting off rear of dust particles. "I have a friend I think might wanna read more on it since she's an alchemy fanatic."

"Hmmm no. That's the only one we have." Ivy's lips contorted into a frown. It really never is that easy. "We usually get our books imported from other cities via catalog if you'd like to check. This town isn't really one for alchemy. Those two boys I mentioned were really our only exceptions."

Ivy placed the book on the shelf. "And this is a shot in the dark, but do you have any books on fancy gates?"

"Gates?"

"Yeah."

There was a pause and Ivy walked around the corner to see the man in deep thought, hand on his chin. "Well what kind of gate do you mean? Like brick laying or architecture? I think we might have a book on architecture in the catalog if you'd like to look?" The man bent walked from behind his desk to where a large binder sat atop a pile of crates. "I just gotta new one so there's probably something in here."

Ivy's leg bounced. "It's cool, Mr. Lee."

Mr. Lee stopped, blue eyes twinkling in surprise. "Really?"

Ivy's felt her right foot teetering forward to her tiptoes, bouncing a bit. "I feel like Winry might think I'm cheating on her latest attempt to bring to me to the dark side if I bring a book on architecture back." She felt a lump in her throat hoping that it'd make the man laugh off her questions.

"Well let me know if you ever change your mind." Was his reply, closing his catalog and walking back to the register. "I'm always looking to get more loyal buyers and if we need to order things on the catalog to get a new regular, I'll order new things on the catalog to get a new regular!"

Ivy snorted. "I'll let you know when I'm ready to make a purchase." With a wave, she bid the man farewell. _Another day of nothing and now I'm going on day eight._ She clenched a hand into a fist. _Maybe because the book is just for beginners?_ Ivy bit her tongue as she felt a sinking feeling of dead as she she immediately shook her head to herself. Beginner's guide or not, a book talking about the basics would talk about something like a gate that lead to different dimensions.

The only reason that book wouldn't have something like that in it was because her gate thing didn't exist.

Or at least, it's something the person who wrote that book doesn't know about.

_Great._

The walk to the Rockbell's was solemn, even as she walked through the door and spotted her baby. "Hey Den." The black-and-white dog padded over excitedly, nuzzling her leg. Ivy forced a smile. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up. Did you get stuck in the world of the forgotten too?" There was no Rockbell to be found in the living room or kitchen. Probably working. "Come on, girl."

The last time she checked, both Winry and Pinako were downstairs today since the workshop upstairs was a bit too crowded for the amount of limbs they needed to make.

"Hey, I'm back." She opened the door and peered in.

"Hey welcome back." Winry smiled, looking up from her latest project.

"If you wanna leave the door opened, make sure to put something Den can't get across." Pinako warned, not looking up. "We don't want Den to eat something she shouldn't. She gave us quite the panic the last time it happened." Pinako pointed her screwdriver to an open toolbox. "She ate a bolt and we almost turned the entire house upside down."

Ivy winced to express her discomfort at the idea. "Ouch. Sorry, girl, you gotta stay out." She made quick work of sliding a couple boxes in front of the space. "And don't give me that look, you. This is for your own good." Den's pout stayed and Ivy almost felt her heart sway, but she turned around and made her way to a closed crate and sat on it. "I feel like a monster."

"You'll get used to it soon enough." Pinako chuckled. "Better a pouting mutt than a sick one."

_"True."_ Ivy leaned against the wall. "How's work?"

"Ten more limbs to go." Pinako answered. "We should be done by the beginning of next week if we pull a couple all nighters."

Ivy hummed. It was hard imagining doing any kind of all nighter that wasn't for homework. "Do you ever get orders like this for automail too? Or just the traditional stuff?"

Pinako shook her head, "Only traditional. Automail delivery is best handled by those fanatics in Rush Valley."

Ivy looked over in Winry's direction when she heard mumbling from her desk. "Lucky fanatics." Her cheeks puffed out. Her Rush Valley obsession, according to Pinako, manifested at a young age. They'd been ordering catalogs for her to look at the most recent models and trends among engineers ever since. "They have the best access to good tools t- oh, did you start reading the book I lent you yet?"

"Er.." Blue eyes glittered like the eyes of a hawk. "Not yet? I went on my jog, showered, then left out again this morning. I didn't get to start yet. But I will soon!" At least to avoid another pair of sad puppy eyes glaring back at her. "Automail does seem pretty interesting and cool."

Pinako sounded like she was smiling. "Flattery will only get you a new toolkit on your pillow next time."

"I-I wasn't going to go that far!" Winry stammered and Ivy chuckled. "I want her to become an engineer because she wants to! I was just… helping her see the options. It isn't like Ed and Al were interested in automail!" The younger Rockbell crossed her arms. "It was always alchemy this and alchemy that with them and I always felt left out!"

Ivy held back another snort. Winry was just the automail version of Akasha.

"These Ed and Al guys sound like quite the unique pair of brothers."

"That's one way to put it." Pinako stood up, setting her newly finished prosthetic in a crate with the other completed works and grabbed a new framing base. "They were always giving us a handful. Now they're off adventuring around the country." She pointed over at a cork board covered in photographs.

The entire thing was like a collage.

Ivy cocked her head to the side, eyes settling on one of Edward sitting on the couch. Fork in his mouth, right arm missing. "Traveling, huh?" Another picture she saw was a picture of Alphonse feeding Den a small fish. There was even a picture of the two of them as toddlers, a woman with brown hair and green eyes holding Alphonse. Their mother. The person holding Edward had their face obscured.

"Has been since he was 12."

"Do you know where they are now?" They were master alchemists after all. "I've always wanted to travel around too. I'm kinda jealous." I_ sound so nonchalant, I scare myself._ Ivy's eyes drifted over to a photo of Winry with her hair cut to her chin as she wore a pink dress with daisies on it, holding Den close to her chest. Her left leg was all fur.

"That's the problem with these boys." Pinako sighed. "They're about as good as calling to check in as Den is about not trying to sneak off with food."

"Ah." Ivy fell silent, her next question of asking how often they visited falling to the wayside. "I'm sure they'll call eventually. Or maybe even visit." And if they did, maybe they'd come with books or something about this gate.

_I guess I just have to wait and see._

* * *

_**One Month Later...**_

_Oh my fucking god these guys are never coming!_

Ivy plastered her forehead onto the kitchen table.

It had been a month since she had unwittingly arrived to the town of Resembool and despite the wait, the Elrics still had yet to grace everyone with their presence. Lack of money kept her in Resembool and lack of money made her reconsider her inability to do alchemy and just say the fuck the law. _But knowing my luck, I'd just end up getting arrested._

Ivy wondered if that action would at least get her somewhere than remaining in Resembool. No matter how pleasant it was living in the countryside with the Rockbells, time and time again it was shown that her efforts in waiting it out and hoping something would happen wasn't going to pay off.

Ivy straightened her back out, looking out the window at the green hills she had grown accustomed to seeing instead of the familiar sights of cement roads and tall buildings being passed by multiple Toyotas. It was still hard to believe that she in a fictional setting.

_Knock knock!_

"I'll get it!" Ivy called out, already on her feet. She needed something to do. "Hello? This is the Rockbell Automail shop. Are you here for a maintenance check?" She smiled expectantly at the man on the porch. He looked to be in his 30's in a top hat and long brown leather coat. More often than not, when someone knocked here, they were actual clients. Other times, it was someone who wanted help trying to get help something running.

The man smiled, eyebrows raised. "I didn't know that Dr. Rockbell had an apprentice." He jolted a little, then quickly added: "Oh, I'm here for a maintenance check. I've been putting it off for a while now but my wife finally told me to get my butt up here."

Ivy chuckled. "I haven't even been able to start making my own automail so I wouldn't necessarily say I'm an apprentice. I just help out. Winry kinda got me roped into it."_ Because I really did wake up to an old tool box on my pillow._ Much to the blonde's obvious delight, Ivy had begun learning a little about the upkeep of traditional prosthetics though she mostly resigned herself to passing tools and fiddling with a couple of old things in the house. As it turned out, the science of automail was an extensive deep dive that required lots of studying."Come inside, I'll let Pinako know you're here."

"No need. I was already expecting him." Pinako's said matter-of-factly from behind Ivy and the client. "It's about time you got up here. I was starting to think I was going to have to go into town myself. How's the leg?"

"A little loose." The man admitted. "I was hoping to get it tightened. My wife wants a full look-over though."

"Of course." Pinako gestured to him to come to the workshop. "Ivy, are you coming to watch?"

"Sure. I think Winry doesn't need me to help with anything." The blonde was upstairs doing the engineer's version of studying and even if she was enthusiastic as could be when it came to Ivy's own learning, Ivy still left the girl to her devices to work in peace. "Did you want me to do anything?"

"I just want you to see a little more on the basics of maintenance and upkeep." She pointed at the man's leg. "His is traditional, so it's best to get practice here than jump into maintenance of automail. You don't mind if she gets the chance to fiddle do you?"

"Not at all! I'm Erick."

"Ivy."

Erick sat on the stool and rolling up his pants leg to reveal his prosthetic. His stump ended at the knee and the belt strap wrapped around the artificial calf and ankle to up his stump, keeping the thing tied together to the pylon pole. It had an official name, it turned out. Ivy already making quick work opening the toolbox. Digging through this thing was becoming as routine as Ivy's morning jogs. "What tools are you gonna need?"

"The socket wrench and adjustable." Pinako knelt down, observing the damage. "Is it the ankle joint that's loose?"

Erick nodded, "The thing's been knocking into the staircase awkwardly and I keep nearly falling. It's been stressful."

"Hmmm." Pinako's sharp eyes looked to Ivy. "Any idea as to what you think the problem might be?"

"Um…" Ivy's mind scrambled for an answer. Pinako was that teacher. The one who prompted you until you eventually stumbled onto the answer for yourself. "Well the first thing that comes to mind is that there's a loose screw where the rest of the prosthetic connects to the foot so tightening them altogether should do the trick."

"And what might have made the screw come loose?"

"A lot of activity? Or maybe rusting?"

"And what would you suggest-"

It felt like years had passed until Pinako had actually went forward with removing Erick's prosthetic and getting a closer look at it. Turns out, it was a bolt not a screw (Winry had drilled in the differences between the two fasteners a while ago) and it had been jutting out from its original placement.

"We'll still be looking over the entirety of the prosthetic altogether, of course and see if there's anything that needs to be replaced to help the overall limb work smoother." Pinako had said.

"In this case, it's better to just better to replace the entire foot piece since the casting of it is starting to get grimy and not even cleaning it is returning it to it's old color."

"The pylon is simple, made with light metals-"

"I suggest-"

"Wow, that feels great!" Erick exclaimed at last when his leg was reattached to the rest of his body. Ivy sighed, relieved. "I knew I could count on you, Dr. Rockbell. You did great too, Ivy. I could barely understand anything being said."

_Trust me I can hardly believe I was able to either._ "I've got a great teacher."

"Spoken like a true apprentice, after all."

"Don't say that in front of her granddaughter." Ivy chuckled, arching her back. "She's already wrapped me in deep and if she hears the 'A' word there's no going back." Winry had been excitedly shoving all of her old tools and notes down Ivy's throat. Not that Ivy could read them, Winry had the chicken scratch writing of a doctor. _And I thought Akasha's writing sucked._

"Maybe next time she could help do work on an automail prosthetic once she's more skilled." Pinako added.

Ivy laughed and shook her head, "Guys, I said not to say anything or she'd hear you." She took off her gloves, borrowed from the aforementioned mechanic.

"Checking on your friend?"

"Someone's gotta make sure she isn't drowning herself in work again." Ivy replied. Winry would do all nighters even if she hadn't been required to and Ivy spent more than enough nights nagging at her to go asleep. "She's the worst."

Pinako smiled to herself, "Reminds me of me and my husband when we were young. He'd work for hours until I practically dragged him back to bed."

Ivy coughed, "Gonna go bother her now." As she left, she could hear Pinako turning her sights on Erick. 'Speaking of automail, have you considered upgrading?' Erick's nervous laughter faded away as Ivy made her way upstairs to the workshop.

Wires were strewn on the workbench an incomplete pair of automail limbs, an arm and leg. Winry had mentioned something earlier about going through the old models they had and figuring out ways to make them work better. The girl herself was fiddling with the drill press. "Winry, darling, your knight in _nagging_ armor approaches to tell you-"

"I'll eat in a minute." Winry rebuffed, not even looking Ivy's way.

"More like _now_." Ivy scoffed, hands on her hips. This was too regular an occurrence. "I just finished helping Pinako and I _know_ you didn't eat breakfast." Leftovers from last night and Winry's plate untouched in the fridge. "So up up up."

That made Winry turn around, eyes wide with curiosity. "How'd the maintenance check go?"

"I swear you're worse than Akasha- Winry, _lunch_!"

"Tell me about the maintenance check!" Winry pouted, hands clasped together and tip toeing closer. "I wanna know how your training is going since you're Granny's appren -"

Pinako's voice rose above Winry's begging, "Winry! Winry! Our regulars are here!" Winry's jaw slacked a bit, as if she were processing what her grandmother had just said. "Winry!"

Ivy looked over her shoulder. "Regulars?"

"It's them!" Ivy looked back at Winry, curious. "Them, Ivy!"

Ivy blinked in realization. Them.

Winry bolted out the door and felt her knees go weak from the surprise. Those assholes are finally here.

She rushed downstairs despite telling herself to play it cool. The noise outside grew louder, a boy shrieking at the top of his lungs. "Winry, you jerk! You coulda killed me!"

"Welcome back!" Came Winry's jovial reply.

Ivy stepped onto the porch, eyes wide as she saw the scene in front of her. Some sparkling giant with a mustache, a suit of armor in a crate, and the love of Akasha's fangirling life sitting angrily criss crossed on the floor.

….

_This is so meta._

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

And here's Updated Chapter 4. This and chapter 3 feel like two of my more shorter chapters somehow but maybe it's just me (nah this definitely feels a lot shorter than the other chapters.) Looking over this chapter, I'm reminded of the fact that I didn't really want to do the timeskip at first. I wanted to build up to the arrival of the Elrics but considering the importance of Ivy and Winry's relationship in this story, I didn't want to have it be a week and the brothers show up and have an emotional leaving the Rockbells that took Ivy in like family. But at the same time the Elrics are an important part of the story, I mean, they're even mentioned in the summary of the story! So even if it might have been nice, I didn't want to slowly write chapter after chapter of Ivy's time in Resembool since not much really happens aside from her learning more about automail. But don't worry, automail gets mentioned in more detail in the story.

If there's one thing I will spoil about AFG and SA, Akasha's focus has been and always will be alchemy though her physical abilities are weak. Ivy, on the other hand, has much better physical capabilities but her interests lead her to the biomechanics of engineering. Studying alchemy and various types of engineering associated with automail has been really fun to use in the story!

If anyone is still reading this, I hope you like this chapter's fixing.


	5. Full-Meta Alchemist

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** With an anime loving best friend, Ivy has heard plenty about whatever show of the week they're into. But when she manages to cross the gate during an attempt to take a shortcut home, she finds herself in a frightening position. The main character in an Another World fanfiction trope; and with reluctance, she finds herself teaming up with the main characters to get back home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

Ivy discovered something about Alphonse's suit of armor when the giant man brought him inside the house. His armor's mouth didn't move.

"Who's this, Granny?" The boy's voice was tinny, like he was talking into a bowl or something else otherwise hollow. But with the red eyes that shone through the black of its sockets like a sprectre possessing a suit, it was enough of a reminder that this boy was just an empty suit of armor walking. Well, had been walking if the fact he was all wrapped up in a crate being carried by a giant said anything.

Pinako pointed at the girl with her pipe. "This is Ivette Carter, she's a girl from Central that we took in about a month ago. Think of her as an assistant of mine." She smirked, her brown eyes looking pointedly in Ivy's direction. "'Apprentice' is apparently too final a word for her." Ivy chuckled nervously, looking away.

The giant perked up. "Another Central native?"

"Oh. You're from Central?" Ivy scratched at the back of her head. _Just stay chill, Ivy. Just stay chill._ She lived in Vallant for years and it wasn't like she knew every nook and cranny of the town. "Nice to see I'm not the only one here enjoying the Resembool scenery. Oh and just call my Ivy. Ivette is my auntie."

"Major Alex Louis Armstrong, young lady." Ivy tried not to gawk at how large his hand was in comparison to her own when he extended one to shake her hand. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"S-same to you, sir."

"I didn't know you took on apprentices." Gold eyes stared sharply at her. Edward seemed mostly indifferent. "Kinda hard to imagine anyone coming all the way to Central from Resembool to learn anything about automail."

Ivy smiled stiffly. "Believe it or not, that wasn't the goal." She replied, hoping Winry would appear now to distract him. "Still not an apprentice, by the way. Winry's just trying to rub the gearheadedness of on me. I guess it's working. I'm also guessing you're both the famous Elric Brothers I hear so much about? Cute pictures."

Edward choked but Alphonse laughed so Ivy sighed mentally as Winry finally appeared with her blue eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I'm guessing you're here for maintenance since you're never here for anything else when you visit." It was a complaint that Ivy heard many a time whenever it was brought up.

Edward made a face. "Er… Is another wrench going to be tossed at my head if I say that I do need maintenance?"

"A wrench?" Ivy raised an eyebrow.

Edward pointed a gloved thumb in Winry's direction. "Your pal here has the aim of a sharpshooter, that's all I'm gonna say."

"Damn, Win. Savage." Ivy snorted trying to imagine Winry tossing any kind of tool at someone's head. "Is that what the yelling was about outside?"

Winry pointed her nose in the air. "I don't know what you're talking about." But her head came back to earth, "Besides, I'm actually happy that he's here for a maintenance check." Edward blinked in surprise, letting out a 'really?' in disbelief. "Yep! Now Ivy can see automail maintenance in action instead of just traditional prosthetics! So I guess I'll let you off the hook for this time."

"And how did I know it had to do with me witnessing the beauty of automail?" Ivy chuckled as Winry giggled sheepishly. "I guess this means you should head on into the shop part of the house. This way." She waved, taking her steps to the workshop. "But I hope you know that you're eating lunch before you get started on anything automail-related. If it's something quick, you're eating right away."

"I know, I know." Ivy didn't feel any sense of reassurance from Winry's proclamation as the blonde's shoulder brushed against hers.

Pinako was already in the workshop, Ivy guessed she had quietly walked away while they were distracted. "Everything's already set up for the examination." She nodded at her work table that was already laid out with tools. "So what's the damage we have to look over this time, Ed?"

There was the longest pause as Edward and Alphonse exchanged a look and Ivy could already feel the 'We're fucked' solidarity she often shared with a friend whenever they were both in deep shit. She pursed her lips and looked away, the 'oof' sound effect from most vines she enjoyed echoing in her mind. _That bad, huh?_ Edward coughed as he took a seat on the chair. "... So about that." He yanked his red cloak off quickly, like it'd make the reaction he'd receive pass faster. "I kinda need you to make me a completely new arm?"

'I guess I'll let you off the hook' went smooth off the table as Winry looked at the empty port where Edward's arm should have been. "WHAT?!" She pointed aghast, Edward smiling sheepishly. "What happened to your arm?!"

"Yeah it got broken."

"What do you mean _'it got broken'?!_" Ivy winced as Winry's voice approached an entirely new octave. "Edward, that was my _masterpiece_! I slaved over that! Just- just, just give me the arm so I can see what can be salvaged!"

"Okay so when I said 'broken' what I meant was that it was 'smashed into tiny unsalvageable pieces'."

Winry leaned back, clenching her chest dramatically and Ivy swore that it looked like her soul was leaving her body. After that, Ivy thinks she must have blacked out because it was a 'blink and you miss it' moment but Edward was suddenly sprawled out on the floor, a wrench the weapon of choice.

_Now_ that _is rough, buddy._ "Um, Winry, how about we put the wrench down?" Ivy raised her hand defensively as Winry fumed. "Alphonse, I think speak on behalf of almost everyone when I say that your brother shouldn't ever be an announcer when there's bad news." Ivy could already picture Edward in pilot clothing and unabashedly saying announcing to the plane's tenants: _"Alright folks, so we've got some good news and a little bad news. The good news is, we're going to be landing soon. Bad news is, we're crash landing."_

Alphonse's tinny giggle echoed with nervousness, "I think I'll let him know."

Winry whipped her head in Alphonse's direction. "You have no room to laugh right now. Why are you all busted up?" Edward rose back to the couch, jaw clenched tightly as he muttered incoherently under his breath. "What kind of lifestyles are you two leading?"

The tapping sound of Pinako's pipe on her ashtray stopped Winry's interrogation. "Alright now, I need my engineers to focus on the task at hand." Winry squinted but she otherwise dropped it as Ivy sighed. _Remind me to never get on Winry's bad side._ She'd seen the blonde get annoyed before in petty squabbles, but never furious to the point of unleashing hell on earth. "It's been a while so your leg's probably going to need some maintenance too."

"Especially since you suck at maintenance." Winry seemed more miffed by the second.

"I get it, I get it." Edward moaned. "I'll be more careful next time."

Armstrong nodded, an odd glint shining from his forehead. "It's best so that you don't end up worrying your family, Edward Elric."

_These are some chill ass anime characters._ Ivy could have laughed but the wrench still tightly clenched in Winry's hand made her reconsider the action as Edward changed into a tank top and shorts. His earlier statement about her sharpshooter accuracy made a lot more sense now. _Why didn't Akasha mention anything about the wrench thing instead?_ One misplaced word before and Ivy could have found herself in the exact same sprawled out position as Edward just seconds ago.

"By the way, do you think you could get this arm done quickly?" Edward called out. "We have to head out back to Central soon."

"Oh you're going to Central?" Winry's anger dissipated. "Ivy's from Central."

Ivy's right toes wiggled inside her shoes. "Yeah we just talked about that. Major Armstrong's from Central too." She arched her back, pretending that she needed to stretch. "So what are you guys heading to Central for? I heard you guys travel a lot."

"We're just doing a little research!" Alphonse's piped from his crate. "We have a lead on the Philosopher's Stone so…" He trailed off and there was some kind of quiet understanding from everyone in the room that was supposed to be in the know. It's something related to their bodies.

Pinako nodded, kneeling down in front of Edward's legs. "I see." Her eyes were sharp as she steadied out Edward's feet with her hands. "So you want to get back to Central as quickly as possible to gather data on it." Without missing a beat, she added a quick, "Notice anything, Ivy?"

_And that's my cue._ She thought as she found a place to kneel down next to her mentor of sorts. The leg was in general good shape, a cool dark gray color. _Steel, I'm guessing?_ "Well there's no loose bolts sticking out. The coat looks like it needs to be polished though."

"In cases like these, you shouldn't just look at the automail." Pinako explained. "Humans are always growing, so you should always look at the limb you should be comparing too or even the outfittee's entire measurements to make sure they're at the right size they should be in."

_Oh._ With a closer look, Ivy understood what Pinako was referring to. "His legs are kinda off. Someone got taller."

"Really?" The excitement in Edward's voice was almost palpable.

"How tall are you anyway?" The boy stiffened and Ivy cocked her head to the side trying to get a better estimation on his total height. Standing next to the Major, he had seemed puny but even sitting alone on the chair he looked a little… Well for sure shorter than Ivy herself who stood at around 5ft7in.

Pinako stood up, "I'm afraid you're touching a sore spot for him."

Winry nodded, smirking. "Ed's always been short. The last time we saw him, he was just-"

"This isn't about my height!" Edward snapped abruptly. "Can we go back to talking about my automail please!"

"Well your old leg can still be used with some minor adjustments." Pinako remarked, her pipe near her lips as she readied herself for another drag. "But the arm's going to take longer to take care of."

Edward leaned back in his seat. "So about a week?"

Pinako scoffed then took a drag. "Don't underestimate me." She gave the biggest smirk Ivy had ever seen her make. "We'll have it ready for you in three days. But in the meantime, you'll just have to settle with one of our spares. Do we have any already made?"

Ivy stood up, "I think so." She glanced over to where they'd be kept.

"We're not gonna actually use the regular traditional prosthetics actually." Winry held a hand out.

"We're not?"

"Nope, we actually have spares for people with automail too since it still needs to be attached to the port in the limb's place." Winry showed the way to a large leather case; the limbs inside sleeker and made almost entirely out of the same metal that they use their pylon for. "We usually keep them separate in here. We don't really have a lot though. They're still made of pylon like the traditionals but it's just got extra details."

Ivy leaned closer, admiring the sleek form. There was some sort of switch mechanism on the side, most likely for locking it in place. "These don't connect to the nerves?"

"Not even a little, so we don't have to worry about clients being in pain."

"You really didn't make any of these for the Waidsill order?"

Winry nodded. "They didn't ask for any." She made her way to her grandmother who was waiting expectantly.

"So much for not being an apprentice." Edward said while raising his leg a little higher as Pinako made quick work of switching his automail and replacing it. "You're already speaking like them. It's only a matter of time before you start dressing like them too."

"Don't give her any ideas please." Ivy coughed. It'd be a matter of time before Winry would give her some sort of matching jumpsuit with a happy smile on her face. _"Now we can match!"_ The blonde would most likely say and like the weakling she was, Ivy would humor her and put it on and it would all just go downhill from there. "Besides, I'm just here for the time being and I haven't even made my own prosthetic yet. So there's no real commitment to the apprentice thing."

Winry looked over her shoulder, mouth open slightly.

"... What?" Ivy coughed after a few heartbeats passed and Winry hadn't said anything yet.

Winry blinked. "Oh. Nothing." She turned back around and took Edward's leg from Pinako as if they hadn't just had an… off moment but her movements had been stiff. "I should get started on your arm soon if you want it done in three days." She held up three fingers, eyebrows furrowing. "Between crafting all the parts and assembling and making sure everything's connected properly… Gah, that's three all nighters."

Ivy took a step forward, hands on her hips. "Then you're definitely eating before you work." Brown eyes looked at the story's hero. "Hope you don't mind if lunch is eaten first or anything." It wasn't so much a question so much as it was a definitive order.

"I'll just eat in the workshop." Winry replied but her voice was far from light and she didn't spare her companion any kind of look. "Just know you're paying a fortune for the rush order fee, Ed." She said instead as Edward glared in return.

"Skeezy mechanic."

* * *

"Oh, you'll be watching me work now?" Pinako glanced up from her work table for a few moments before focusing on her work.

"Just for a little bit. I might go on a jog soon to work off lunch." Ivy took a seat across from the old woman. Edward's leg was now strewn apart into separate pieces. "Plus, Winry wanted to concentrate more on just designing and going through existing parts she could use and I didn't wanna be in the way." It felt too awkward now after what happened earlier.

"Well it won't be the most linear training since you haven't even started making your own limbs, but this will be a good experience for you." Pinako replied as she made some notes on a stray paper. She and her granddaughter both had the same chicken scratch that was almost infuriating to look at let alone try actually read. "I'm just readjusting the size and making the leg a bit lighter. You'll do things like this for traditionals for obvious growth but we generally just make new sizes in advance. It won't be as intricate as the details in updating in aut-"

"I kinda just wanted to watch in silence right now, Pinako." Ivy mumbled her chin into her palm, her gaze firmly resting on a random bolt. "I kinda have a lot to think about." Pinako didn't respond and Ivy bit her bottom lip.

From the workshop, Ivy could hear the dull sounds of wood being chopped. (A small request from Pinako to Armstrong who seemed more than happy to oblige.) All the while Winry worked alone in her workshop while the boys, Edward and Alphonse, sat on the grass outside with Den.

The Elric brothers were finally here. It was just a little harder actually saying anything to them now that they were. Let alone when they thought she was here to learn how to engineer. _"Why are you out here chatting with us when you should be in there with Winry or something?"_ Is all she could imagine Edward saying to her if she stepped out to really say anything.

_And what the heck would I even say to them? There's literally no way I can just smoothly go 'So yeah, I come from another dimension and I just figured that if I asked the main characters, you guys would have some sort of information. So be a pal and a friend and help me out?'_ It would be disastrous, there was no doubt in Ivy's mind about that. _Especially now that they all think I'm from that Central place._ She gave the floor a tap of her foot. She knew that Pinako and Winry meant no harm, but everyone else actually knowing her fake home location really put a damper on her spirits.

"Something on your mind?" Pinako asked at last. "You're starting to look wrinklier than me."

"Er… It's nothing really." Ivy shook her head. "It's more of those inner rhetorical questions you're not supposed to actually answer but you keep asking yourself anyway."

"I'm guessing it's not about automail then." It was no question on the part of Pinako. Ivy bit her lip, looking down at the table. _Does she know that I lied about where I came from?_ She pressed her teeth down harder, restraining herself from suddenly blurting out something she would regret. "Is it about Ed and Al's bodies then?"

_Oh thank god, I can work with this._ "... Kinda?" It wasn't a complete lie this time. Of course she was kind of curious about it. Just the more nitty gritty details rather than the general plot Akasha had told her. "I mean, I have my questions about it but I figured if it was gonna be talked about it would have been talked about by now. And it isn't like I really know 'em so…"

"I respect you for wanting to respect their privacy." Pinako loosened a fastener of some kind and placed it next to a few other stray pieces beside her. "I think the boys would appreciate being treated like normal kids for once too. I hope you become friends with them too."

"Normal's overrated anyway." Ivy mumbled. It was Akasha's favorite thing to say whenever anyone wanted to call her a weirdo. Made sense for a girl obsessed with a show with a giant sparkle man in its cast. "Whatever happens with them, I wish them the best. Just milk 'em dry for having this rush order though."

Pinako chuckled despite herself. "You're quite ruthless aren't you? You'd fit in in a Rush Valley work setting. It's a cut throat environment there."

"Oh you've been?" Ivy's eyebrows perked up in slight surprise.

"A few times in my younger days." Pinako admitted. "We could have settled shop there if it weren't for the competition. But I think we made a good choice in staying where our heart's felt most comfortable."

"You know Winry would be pretty heartbroken if she heard that you were that close to moving to Rush Valley before she was born." Ivy chuckled as well. The silence that followed was comfortable as Ivy watched Pinako's fingers strum about, carefully detaching wires from their places. Beside the leg set up were similarly colored but lengthier wires with various labeling on them with and an extension bit.

"So will you be leaving now that the boys are here?"

Ivy lifted her chin from her hand, taken aback by the sudden question. "Excuse me?"

"I was wondering if you'd be leaving now that the boys were here." Pinako continued on without missing a beat, still focused on her work.

"..." The sound of Ivy's shoe grinding against the floor was the only sound between them, the thud of Armstrong's wood chopping even less audible than before.

Pinako was less than bothered as she worked. "For a time, I figured you might have been lying about running away from your home in Central. Maybe a fan of Ed's hoping to learn a little more about alchemy from him." She tugged at another wire. "But when you showed even less interest in alchemy, I figured I was at least wrong with that guess. Even more so once you started taking more of an interest in engineering. But you never really seemed to settle in Resembool with us and seemed anxious most of the time."

"... How'd you-"

"I may be old, Ivy, but I'm not senile yet." Pinako tittered. "Raising those boys, you notice the signs. And your feet seem to reveal more than you intend whenever your home was mentioned." Ivy's foot halted. "So I figured you were lying about something. Things always seem to happen when the boys are around, so I thought maybe now would be the time for anything abnormal to happen when it came to you."

"Oh." Ivy bit her lip. _And here I thought I was fitting in._ "Does Winry… suspect anything too?"

"If she does, she hasn't told me anything." Pinako answered truthfully. "But I don't think she suspects anything of you lying to us. But I know that she probably thinks you're going to be leaving soon. But for what, I'm not entirely sure. I definitely won't pretend to know why."

"It's…"

"Complicated?"

Ivy nodded, trying to push down the lump in her throat. "Complicated. I don't really know how to talk about it. But…" She bit her lip. "I'm searching for something too."

Pinako's lips turned upward slightly. "Well you certainly won't find it in quiet, old Resembool, kid."

"Oh trust me, I know." Ivy snickered despite herself as her chest clenched. "I tried for about a month but whatever the thing was, it's long gone from here."_ And even if I like Resembool, I can't keep sitting on it forever and trying to force something to happen here when it won't._ It was a hard truth Ivy was starting to face. Those morning jogs weren't paying off when that gate was stubbornly staying away from wherever she was. "I really.. I really like staying here with you and Winry. I just have to leave now."

"Will you leave for Central with the boys?"

"No idea." Ivy admitted. "I don't really know them. And they might find it odd if some random girl wanted to tag along with them. I don't even know if our goals are gonna line up in anyway. Did you…." Ivy trailed off nervously.

"I have not." Pinako replied. "And I'm not planning to since I'm sure you're not a threat to my family by now."

"... Thanks, Pinako." Despite the relief, Ivy's chest still felt heavy. I_f an old lady was seeing right through my BS, I can only imagine how fast those geniuses might._ "I dunno, maybe I'll talk to them about the problem. I don't know if I made obvious or anything but I'm really kind of winging it right now."

That tore another chuckle from Pinako's lips. "Oh I can tell."

Ivy snickered as well and another silence swept over them as Pinako organized her discarded wires and wrapped them around neatly with a stray chord. "Just make sure to tell Winry that you're planning on leaving officially." Pinako finally looked up from her work, eyes serious. "She's grown rather attached to you this past month; she'll be sad to see you go."

Ivy laid her chin back onto her hand. "Yeah." She sighed. "I know. I'll miss her too." It would be weird in general not waking up in the Rockbell's odd colored house that she had grown accustomed to over the weeks. The quiet mornings and seeing the farmhouses come to life during her jogs in the morning with Den. The sound of the drill press being used as it scrapes through whatever metal pieces being utilized that day. And Winry's plain excitement when it came to automail and Ivy seeming to pick up the trade made Ivy feel all the more guilty about having to go even if it had been a month. "I'll really miss being with all of you once I take off."

"Well as long as you visit," Pinako began. "I don't think you'll find too many complaints from us. So whatever you're hoping to find, I hope that you come back between your looking."

_Visits are something I might not be able to really guarantee._ "Who else will I have mentor me in the art of maintenance?" Pinako chuckled lightly. "I'll make sure to tell Winry. This was kind of a last minute thing so… I'm kinda glad that I have a small amount of things on me for once. But I should probably milk all the affection I can get out of Den now."

"And to think I thought you were talking about Winry and I."

Ivy shook her head, a playful smile on her face. "Sorry, Pinako, I got priorities. It was always about Den."

"I see."

Ivy stood up, carefully working her legs around the bench. "I'll take her out on a walk, come to think of it." She gave Pinako a small wave. "I'll be back in time for dinner, so no worries."

"Be safe while you're out there then."

Ivy paced quickly to the front door and opened it to the side of Edward standing up. "What, did Granny need something?"

The nerves returned and Ivy had to remind herself not to panic. _He doesn't even know anything, he doesn't even know anything._ "No. I was just gonna take Den out for a run." The dog herself was already up on all fours, tail wagging slightly. "Did you need something though?"

"I was actually about to take Den out with me."

"Oh."

"But you can take her out if you still want to." Alphonse tipped in instead. He was now out of his crate prison and Ivy's words seemed to have evaporated as she took in the fact the half of his body that wasn't present wrapped up with some cloth. "Ed wasn't gonna go far." Ivy nodded as her eyes swept over Alphonse again, it was hard imagining that armor that huge was being utilized by some kid's spirit. This is like some PG version of FNAF.

"Can you not stare please?" Edward's sharp voice cut in and Ivy held up a hand defensively.

"S-sorry, I was..." She searched her brain for something, anything. "Was just wondering what kind of metal was used in the armor. Like steel or titanium or something."

The glare of Edward's glint seemed to call her bullshit but Alphonse lightly shook it off. "It's steel." He answered, lifting his one functioning arm as if to display the fact. "It's kind of old but it belonged to our f-"

"Hey, girl, you can take Den on your walk." Edward all but spat and Ivy felt herself shrink inside her shorts. It was a hard pass on talking to either brother about anything main character-wise today.

Ivy gave him a thumbs up, "Gonna take her near the lake off one the back roads over here." She gestured to the back of the house. The lake in Resembool was small but could be accessed using this small trail behind the house and it was discovered during one of her many walks with Den in trying to find more spots in the town that would be conspicuously hiding some kind of gate that would miraculously lead back to some road to Vallant.

Waving Den towards her, Ivy tried her best to walk as unbothered as possible as she heard Alphonse making some exclamation about something.

_Operation Become Friends is a bust._ She sighed audibly.

"I thought the main characters of anime were supposed nice and dense twerps, Den." She whispered to the dog, who gave her no indication that she was in fact a talking dog like Scooby Doo. "Maybe I'm just asking for too much at this point." _I don't even know what Akasha sees in that guy._ She thought bitterly too herself, pointedly ignoring the fact that it probably didn't help she gawked at his younger brother like he was some kind of display. Or the fact she's a stranger in his eyes. And most of the anime that Akasha seemed to watch outside of Fullmetal Alchemist didn't all include protagonists with missing limbs, parent killers, and metal prosthetics.

Ivy sighed again. _Maybe I was the actual asshole this time._

The amount of information she held on this show had nothing on Akasha or even Austin. So whatever was going on with them, she could only imagine that it was bad enough if they came here half in ruins.

This world was every bit as alive as the mornings that Resembool had. One with its own history and civil wars and very real amputees.

Ivy picked at the lakeside grass as Den napped quietly beside her. _I don't belong in it._ And neither did Akasha even though she would clearly be a better fit for it.

_"Okay so this OC I have is from their world and she's an alchemist and she-"_

_"So this is, ba dadadaaaa, Riku, she's this girl who is planning on being a State Alchemist and her speciality is gonna be this kind of water alchemy-"_

_"Okay so this Ishbalan OC-"_

_"Girl, how many OCs do you even need?" Ivy laughed_.

_It was Friday that night in her house and Akasha was sleeping over in anticipation for Disney's High School Musical triology rerun and somehow, anime had been brought up when all Ivy wanted to do was dramatically sing along to the lyrics about going her own way. Akasha had even brought her Edward Elric plush with its characteristic main character smile and hands clapped together in some kind of signature pose. "It ain't even Saturday yet." The night when anime reigned supreme and Ivy found herself lost in bankais and in some solid foundation of security in Naruto, the one anime she really did like watching. (Outside of NANA, Pokemon Yugioh, and Sailor Moon. Now those, she could get down with.)_

_"I know, I know I'm just excited! I have a lot of reviewers now for this one fic I'm writing so I gotta get it out my system." Her notebook was smeared with pencil smudges from her hand but still had a lot written on the pages. "There's gonna be a lot of drama in this one."_

_If Akasha was here she'd have a shit ton of OCs to pretend to be._ Ivy bit her lip, wishing again that she had paid more attention to Akasha's rants about them._ But I guess that wouldn't solve the alchemy problem._ Akasha had spent numerous days online even googling real life alchemy, which to her disappointment was nothing like in her favorite anime. But it didn't stop her from trying to make something out of it and try applying it to the chemistry set her dad got her a while back from Toys R Us.

That book at Mr. Lee's? Outside of understanding her magic gate thing wasn't in it and this Equivalent Exchange mess, Ivy came to the stark conclusion that she wasn't going to be making gold bars anytime soon even if she really wanted to make it rain.

_I don't even know what she would even try doing right now if she were in my shoes. Probably try seducing Edward immediately?_ A snort escaped her but Ivy shook her head giving Akasha more credit. The girl could be hilariously silly sometimes, but Akasha would at least know to have more tact with this particular set of main characters considering their more suspicious behaviors.

And she probably wouldn't have haplessly stared at Alphonse's armor situation so Akasha had that point her corner as well.

_Life, next time send in a girl who actually knows what she's doing here?_ Ivy stared up at the sky, the blue completely gone in place of saturated oranges and reds as the sun set. _I guarantee you that you'd have been more entertained with Akasha's crazy ass. Or maybe you could have sent me to Avatar. Not the one with the blue people. Why am I talking like the universe is even listening to me?_ Because if it was, Ivy was sure she'd have been home like yesterday.

**[;';]**

Ivy let Den slip into the house first, the smell of ham in the air was stale. She could assume that dinner had long since been made and was sitting in a tin for her to get her own portions.

"I'm not sharing with you, by the way." Ivy remarked as she saw Den walk into the kitchen without her.

She stepped mindfully of creaking floorboards, hoping to eat then hop her way to bed. Winry would have to make this all nighter on her own, though Ivy was sure she'd be able to sit up for the next one. Then her eyes swept over gold and gray in the kitchen and she blinked as she took in the sight of Edward and Alphonse sitting there.

"Um…. What are you guys doing up?" She looked over at Alphonse. "And why are _you_ sitting on the floor?"

Alphonse seemed flustered. "It was kind of hard sitting in one of the chairs without my leg." Ivy nodded feeling the burning sensation of a glare on her. "And Granny wanted someone to wait up for you so we offered to."

"Honestly, I can appreciate that. I kinda don't know how to handle the Major's intensity." He seemed nice but Ivy wasn't sure how much more the man could sparkle around her before she snapped with some kind of joke about a completely different Edward from a different franchise.

"He can be like that sometimes." Alphonse agreed. "Right, Brother?"

Edward didn't say anything and Ivy fought the urge to cough awkwardly. So he was probably still angry about earlier. "Uh… so sorry about earlier? I'm guessing you're probably upset about the staring thing." Ivy got out. "I'm not gonna ask questions or anything like that. I just kinda never saw someone legit going around in armor before. It's kinda not the thing where I'm from."

Edward finally said something, eyes seeming to flash despite the dim kitchen light. "Central, right?"

Ivy was now fighting the urge to do anything with her right leg. "Yep. Central. It's the capital of the country." Ivy subsequently fought the immediate desire to kick herself in the shin.

"Yeah. It is. We've been there multiple times." Edward's tone was crisp.

"... Cool." Ivy coughed out finally. "So, I'm gonna-"

"You know when I was out earlier," Edward cut her off.

"Brother-"

"I'm fine, Al." Edward's tone didn't change the slightest though he did look to his brother to give him a reassuring look. "So I was out earlier when you were still on your walk with Den."

"That's…. Nice." Ivy commented. "I know it's probably been a minute since the last time you saw your hometown."

"Yeah, just peachy even." Edward's tone didn't sound peachy to any degree. "I even ran into some old friends. Do you know anyone named Erial and Otto? They run a sheep farm near Granny's."

Those were definitely some familiar names. "We don't really talk a whole lot, but yeah I know 'em. They're pretty chill." And a constant view during her morning jogs. Occasionally she would see them in town. "Why?"

"Well when I saw them today, they mentioned you as Granny's new helper."

Edward's voice was surprisingly quiet and the room felt even more tense.

"And Otto mentioned something about how when you first came here he thought you were pretty weird." He continued. "He said something about how you were walking around aimlessly asking about some stone gate in Resembool. Which is funny since Resembool doesn't have anything of the sort like that."

Ivy felt small and she choked out, "Yeah I learned that the hard way."

Edward finally stood up, his glare more intense than any kind of projectile Winry could have thrown at him earlier. "Quit playing dumb and tell me why you were asking about the Gate."

"I really don't-"

"I said quit acting dumb." His voice raised slightly, but he seemed to be making a huge effort to not yell and disturb everyone in the house. But the appreciation of that fact was dimmed over the pressing matter of the situation. Edward and Alphonse did know about this gate. But whatever it was and whatever kind of truth the thing held,

It was bad.

"Well?"

Alphonse placed his hand on Edward's shoulder, still able to reach from his spot on the floor. "Calm down, Brother." He looked over at Ivy. "... We aren't going to hurt you or anything." He tried placating her but the look on Edward's face was telling Ivy something completely different. "We're just worried about our friends and if this is anything that might get them in trouble."

_Lie._

_Don't be stupid, what if you lie and they find out?_

_Imagine what they'd do to you **then**._

"I'm waiting for answers." Edward spat.

Ivy bit her lip and opened her mouth then closed it before opening it again. "Look. You might not… believe anything I tell you right now but this is wholeheartedly the truth." Edward and Alphonse's gaze were unrelentless. "I'm not from here. Literally. Like from this world at all."

"Do you seriously expect me to believe that cr-"

"I crossed some gate in my hometown trying to take a shortcut." Ivy cut him off, heart beating the hardest its ever beat. "And when I went back because I thought this shortcut wasn't worth shit, it was gone. I don't know what that thing was but it wasn't anything from my world."

There was another long pause for the umpteenth time that day as Edward's face contorted into one of disbelief. "Are you serious right now?"

"As serious as the fact that alchemy and automail aren't even things where I'm from." Ivy rubbed her arms awkwardly. "I don't know too much about this place other than what Winry and Pinako told me. But that's all the information I can give you right now. I'm not from here. And I'm just trying to go home."

"... Brother, I don't think she's lying."

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

And here's Updated Chapter 5. I was, on the highest of keys, proud of the chapter title for this one ha. I love puns even if really all I did was take off the L from the series title but... meh. This was one of my favorite chapters to write so far since Edward is and isn't the typical protagonist. Even in anime where the protagonist has gone through some serious shit, they're usually still super nice almost to a fault. So I feel like anyone with a basic set of knowledge on the laws of anime would be thrown off by his personality. He's serious, blunt, and straight to the point and his short temper doesn't do him in any favors. Like, if Ed was a DND character, he would have a 5 in charisma (and if anyone plays DnD, you guys know that is a really bad, below average score to have but I feel like maybe he might have a 6 instead.) So I wanted to focus on him having a more intimidating presence in contrast to the warmth of characters like the Rockbells that Ivy has become accustomed to.

If anyone is still reading this, I hope you like this chapter's fixing.


	6. Unlocking My Tragic Backstory

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** With an anime loving best friend, Ivy has heard plenty about whatever show of the week they're into. But when she manages to cross the gate during an attempt to take a shortcut home, she finds herself in a frightening position. The main character in an Another World fanfiction trope; and with reluctance, she finds herself teaming up with the main characters to get back home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

_"Do you seriously expect me to believe that cr-"_

_"I crossed some gate in my hometown trying to take a shortcut." Ivy cut him off, heart beating the hardest its ever beat. "And when I went back because I thought this shortcut wasn't worth shit, it was gone. I don't know what that thing was but it wasn't anything from my world."_

_There was another long pause for the umpteenth time that day as Edward's face contorted into one of disbelief. "Are you serious right now?"_

_"As serious as the fact that alchemy and automail aren't even things where I'm from." Ivy rubbed her arms awkwardly. "I don't know too much about this place other than what Winry and Pinako told me. But that's all the information I can give you right now. I'm not from here. And I'm just trying to go home."_

_"... Brother, I don't think she's lying."_

The tension between the three bodies in the room was so thick, Ivy was sure that not even a knife could cut it.

She gulped nervously as Edward's lips trembled into a frown and he pinched his nose as he sat back down in his seat. "You're actually serious."

Ivy inhaled shakely. "I wish I wasn't." She stayed where she was standing but she kept her voice hushed, paranoid that anyone could come down the stairs and hear them. "I've been stuck here for a month now running around the place, hoping I'd be able to find that gate and see if it'd take me back home to Vallant. My hometown. But it never popped up." The truth rolling off her tongue didn't make her chest feel any lighter. "And even when I went to the general store and found this book on alchemy, there was nothing about it that popped up. So I thought that maybe this was a freak incident for a while and that this gate thing just… didn't exist here."

"No it exists." Edward sounded as if his throat had been clenching. "I'm just finding it hard to believe that I'm seriously talking to a girl who says she's from another world."

Ivy chuckled nervously. "Same?" Her mind drifted to Miles Morales all of a sudden. "Who would have thought the multiverse was real, amirite?"

"The multiverse?" Alphonse spoke up.

"Oh um, I guess that hasn't been talked about here then." _If anything, I'm pretty sure that this entire world just basically focuses on alchemy._ Well, if 'If anything' meant going off of Akasha's ramblings. "It's basically like… imagine your world and then another where things are kinda the same but also slightly different?"

"So like alchemy and automail not existing where you're from?" Alphonse's voice was tinged with a lot more curiosity than his brother was displaying. It was odd communicating with him. Kinda of like one of those emotionless characters in a show except this time the poker face was unintentional as life had dealt the guy a bad hand.

"Yeah, like that." Ivy replied trying not to mind the dryness of her mouth. "We have chemistry and prosthetics but surprisingly even though I'd say my world is a lot more technologically advanced, our prosthetics aren't nearly as advanced as the ones here." It'd put the real world version of prosthetics to shame.

Edward sighed but Ivy could see his eyes glinting. "And you've been hiding out in Resembool this entire time after ending up here?"

"Well the gate thing automatically lead me here like I was walking down a path from home, alright?" She barked out defensively. "And when you get to an alternate universe (riddled with fictional characters) and find out your world's currency is basically shit here, you get stuck." Pinako had caught sight of the bills once and asked if they were some kind of strange cloth that Ivy had made herself. "I don't know anything about this place either. The only reason they even think I'm from Central is because I panicked when they asked if I was from there and since it was a city they knew I figured why not go 'yeah'."

The golden eyed alchemist raised an eyebrow. "That's kind of a reckless decision, don't you think?"

"I was out of options, alright?" Ivy would like to see the guy do better if he ever woke up one day realizing he was in the modern world Ivy was from. He'd probably be a mess too.

"Okay okay, I don't think we're gonna get anywhere if you make fun of her, Brother." Ivy sighed. At least one of the brothers was a sweetheart. "Maybe we can help? You know about the Gate, right?"

"Yeah but…" Edward looked from his brother to the girl standing in front of them. "I don't remember seeing anything in the Gate about alternate dimensions." Ivy held her tongue. She wasn't sure if it was something that Akasha would just blurt out, but in that moment, just telling two boys that their entire world was made up just felt harsh. Even if it was just an anime where she was from, Ivy had constantly been confronted with the fact this place was real.

In her morning jogs and in the daily and plain life she had been living up until that morning.

"So, basically I'm stuck here." Ivy wanted to squat down and wallow.

"Hold on, I didn't say that exactly." Edward raised his flesh arm up clumsily. "I'm just saying that I didn't see anything about it when I saw the Gate. And our experiences are completely different when it comes to it anyways. You just… walked through it completely fine and unscathed and you didn't even purposely make a transmutation. It's… odd."

Ivy bit her lip as Alphonse gasped softly. "He's right. When my brother saw the Gate, it was because…" He trailed off awkwardly.

The silence returned.

_The day they lost their bodies._ Ivy thought with a surge of realization. She raised her hands up this time. "Look, you don't gotta tell me anything that you don't want to." Her lips turned awkwardly in what Ivy hoped looked like a reassuring smile. "I get it. You've got baggage. I don't want you feeling like you have to tell me something that you're not comfortable with."

Edward and Alphonse shared a look before gold and red looked back at her. "It's fine." Edward closed his eyes, his arm covering his chest as if he was attempting to cross it to an invisible limb. "You told us about how you ended up here. It's only fair that we tell you about our bodies."

"... I guess I should take a seat then." Ivy mumbled, pulling a chair out slowly.

"I'm guessing you don't know much about alchemy?" Edward's entire frame seemed to harden as if he was trying to present his most calm and cool self. "You mentioned doing some reading?"

Ivy shook her head. "The most I could understand in that thing was something about not making gold, equivalent exchange, and that there's no Gate mentioned." She felt sheepish in her admitting. "I'm guessing that alchemy and I just weren't meant to mesh."

"Well logic says that if alchemy was what brought you here, alchemy is the thing that should take you back." Edward remarked, nodding over to his brother. "That's what Al are intending to do, but with our bodies."

Ivy held her tongue as the elder Elric continued with his story.

"It all started with our mother dying. "We already knew a bit about alchemy but after the sickness came and took her… Al and I decided that we'd try and bring her back.

"It took the better part of a year. A lot of self training and eventually getting our own teacher but one day, we thought we were ready enough to make the transmutation…. I thought we were ready. Even though we knew transmuting human life in any degree was illegal, we went through with it. But… the transmutation went wrong. I lost my left leg and Al ended up having his entire body taken."

"But my brother still transmuted my soul to this suit of armor." Alphonse added solemnly. "But he lost his right arm in the process to bring me back. We've been researching countlessly since then trying to find the Philosopher's Stone, a kind of amplifier to alchemy to see if we could override the rules of human transmutation to get our bodies back. He saw the Gate you were talking about but-"

"It's completely different circumstances." Ivy finished with clenched fists. "... I'm really sorry about your mom and your bodies. I can't imagine anything like that happening to me." Even if she had heard the basic gist of it countless times from Akasha back home, it felt more wrenching having to hear it from the boys themselves. The universe dishing out it's unfair punishments was absolute anywhere, it seemed.

Edward's voice brought Ivy brought to reality. "We don't you pitying us." For once he didn't sound like he was trying to be harsh. Just firm. "We made a mistake and we're gonna fix it on our accord."

Ivy smiled and nodded her head, "I wish you guys the best then. Give the universe hell."

"Oh we plan on it." Edward affirmed, for once a smile adorned his face. Well, smirk. But it was a win in Ivy's book. "And if the Philosopher's Stone could bring our bodies back, that means that it should be able to open up some kind of portal to take you back home."

Ivy bit her lip. "Even if there's nothing like mutliverse whatever alchemy in your world?"

"It's the Philosopher's Stone, it should be good for something." Edward shrugged but he sounded confident. "We'll just have to pick out the details when we finally get to Central and look over Dr. Marcoh's research notes about it. We should be able to find something about it there."

"About the Gate?" Ivy asked excitedly.

"Just the Stone." Edward's reply made her enthusiasm level drop slightly. "If anyone else has seen the Gate, they never documented it in any alchemical texts. Or they're not alive to tell the tale. It's just odd. You came here through the Gate somehow but didn't have to pay a toll."

_I honestly think the toll is just being here._ Ivy kept the comment to herself, hand twitching as an image of her phone came to mind. The thing was on it's last legs at 20% since the last time Ivy had turned it on, which had been a while. She resigned herself to the fact weeks ago that she just wasn't going to get a signal or some miracle call from her mom. _Mom. She's probably worried sick…_ "I… I just wanna know, if I can come with you guys."

"You wanna come to Central? Even though you know nothing about it?"

"I have to, don't you think?" Ivy gestured to them. "Say if you find this stone thing and you can only summon or open up this gate thing at a specific time and I'm not there so I miss it?" She'd seen enough movies and experienced enough bus karma to know how this worked. "Besides, Pinako already thinks I'm leaving. She kinda knows that some things I said about myself didn't add up." But the woman's overall reaction had been more soothing than not, encouraging even.

Alphonse tilted his head, "Are you gonna tell Granny and Winry everything you told us?"

"Of course not." Ivy barked out. "How could I?" The soothing memory escaped her. "She told me to just visit when I could instead of downright forgetting to check in. How can I tell them that I'm planning on disappearing forever when... " Ivy sighed, resting her forehead onto her hands. "I really liked being here." Her conversation with Pinako despite the encouraging nature of it felt more melancholic than not. And the offness of her morning with Winry once the boys had shown up had taken it's own toll.

Ivy might have passed it off as wanting to let Winry get some work done without any distractions. But that brief 4 seconds of staring had been unsettling and resigning herself to Pinako's workspace had seemed like the smarter option in that moment. "It just makes me feel bad for wanting to go, then I feel bad that for feeling bad. I just- I just wanna get the bandaid pulled off and hope… I just disappear like I never existed here in the first place." _That the world here just resets back to normal like I never even showed up._

"... We won't tell Granny or Winry anything for you then."

Ivy raised her head, relieved. "Thanks."

"You're gonna need one solid alibi, though." Edward added and Ivy sighed again, nodding in agreement.

"Already on it." Her mind swam with everything she had said before in regards to her fake family life in Amestris. She was from a city called Central and was having a rocky time at home so she randomly chose a location on a map and fled without so much of a warning. Then she arrived at the Rockbells and had an argument with her mom over the phone that ended up lengthening her stay. "I've been thinking about since this afternoon. I think I just might say that I'll try reconnecting with my relatives and if anything comes up with Winry or Pinako, I'll say that the attempt blew up in my face and that I'm traveling with you."

"... Well we don't keep in contact often over here so I don't think you'll have to worry about us accidentally outting you." Edward stood up. Ivy guessed that the evening's conversation was over. "We should get some sleep then."

"Good because I'm beat." Ivy stood up herself, lifting her chair slightly to try and avoid a skidding sound. "Where are you guys sleeping?"

Edward gestured his thumb in the direction of the living room. "Couch. I was gonna try dragging Al there too so he didn't have to be here by himself."

"I don't mind staying in here by myself, Brother." If he was able, Ivy was sure that the boy would be smiling comfortingly as his older brother looked at him worriedly. "Really. You shouldn't strain yourself trying to lift me up."

"I can help too." Ivy blurted out before she could really think about it. "I do sports back home, so I'm fit. I can help with one side and we can both take him closer to the couch?"

Alphonse attempted to protest, "You really don't have to-"

But his elder brother cut him off with a smug expression. "Well considering I'm gonna be the one paying for your ticket, I like the sound of you paying back your debt through armor lifting labor."

"If it weren't for your brother being nothing but an angel right now, I'd leave you to suffer on your own."

(Ivy went to bed with a sore back that night. Sure she and Edward managed to get Alphonse settled in front of the sofa… But at what cost?)

* * *

By the time Ivy found herself settled against the door frame of Winry's work space, the depressing feeling in her chest seemed to temporarily subside. She was back from her jog, running out further than she had done normally (all the way to town). Then she walked back slowly, hoping that the rush would cool her head. All she really got in return was a head of undefined curls turning into a frizzy mess of an afro from all the sweat and sun.

Now she was back in the Rockbell house, hoping that her rehearsed lines would manifest itself in courage. But now that she stood outside of the space she had gotten familiar to over the past month and a week, Ivy felt words leave her mind.

The familiar sight was almost calming; Winry perched at her desk in her jumpsuit as she carefully tended to whatever project she had been given. So far, what had been amassed of Edward's arm-in-progress was the skeletal frame of a hand and fingers, an array of red, yellow, and blue wires falling from it.

"That's a fine arm." Ivy whistled, finally taking a step forward.

The blonde mechanic's eyes were obscured by her work goggles, "Oh hey." In one hand was a small plate, a sanding tool rested in the other. "You missed the start of the crafting from yesterday. Right now I'm detailing the back of his hand to make indents."

Ivy nodded and bent over Winry's shoulder to take in a good look. "Any reason for that?"

"I like doing it so it's easier placing the knuckle joints for the fingers."

Ivy nodded one last time, taking a seat next to her friend and Winry set back to work. The silence, usually a comfortable one, made the anxiety in Ivy's chest return. Her brown eyes made quick work of skimming over Winry's work table for any kind of distraction.

It was a bit of a mess, various wrenches and screwdrivers askew alongside a large bundle of wires and fasteners and a tin of oil. Winry wasn't really one for keeping a steadily clean workbench, Ivy had quickly learned during her month living with the Rockbells. It eventually got tidied, things being put back in their original places when the storm of work was over. But for the most part, it was usually covered in something.

It was a miracle if the thing could go more than a day without being covered back up in tools or study materials from Winry's fiddling.

Ivy reached for a catalog close to her.

Rush Valley's Finest, the title read, the most recent issue. She thumbed her way to the page labeled 'God's Studio' with a small smile as she looked at 9th and 10th generation models.

_God's Studio:_  
_One of Rush Valley's most prominent automail ateliers, God's Studio is one of the largest automail powerhouses in Amestris. With three separate locations across the country, Rush Valley, Apelfel, and Huttsee, it's still currently in major competition with Wear and Tear Studio for combat models._

_It feels like just yesterday when the damn thing arrived._

_"Yo, Winry!" Ivy called out from the kitchen, eyeing the purple tinted catalog curiously. "I think you and Pinako got something important in the mail!"_

_It was only them and Den in the house that morning, Pinako leaving about an hour earlier into town to look over an irritable stove top of a neighbor. So when a delivery man knocked on the door to deliver a catalog with an intricate sketch of a steel arm and some tools, she took only two seconds to decide that she'd automatically ask Winry what it was for instead of trying to guess._

_"Coming!" Came a cheerful chime and the sound of sandals scurrying closer. "What is it?"_

_Ivy pointed at the book, its feel more akin to a magazine than typical novel. "The delivery guy brought this-"_

_The giddish squeal erupting from Winry's throat prevented Ivy from finishing her sentence as she ran over to snatch the magazine from the girl's hand. "It's here!"_

_Ivy snorted, moving a stray coil from her eyesight. "Wanna tell me what it's for?"_

_"It's a catalog from Rush Valley!" Winry swooned like the catalog was something heavenly. "I've been waiting for so long to get this! Every few months they make a new one!" She dived for a seat at the dinner table, gesturing at the chair next to her enthusiastically and Ivy snickered._

_"You're like a kid at Christmas."_

_The smile on Winry's face faltered, her gaze curious. "Christmas? What's that?"_

_The offbeat pause offered no hint of joking or humor._

Oh she's serious. _She was in a world where Christmas didn't exist._ What a load of bull. _"Nothing." Ivy waved a hand. "It's a phrase of a friend's great aunt. I honestly think it's a word she made up cause senile-ism. Watch out because Pinako might be right around the corner to joining her."_

_Winry choked out a laugh and gave Ivy a strong shove. "Don't say that around, Granny, or she might take away dinner."_

_"You were thinking it."_

_"Yeah but you said it!" Winry shook her head but her smile remained as she finally flipped open the catalog to reveal image after image of automail parts and limbs, each with their own mini description. Winry sighed dreamily like she was seeing a One Direction member, "It's all so lovely." The blonde eyed a particular piece, a machine gun of all things, in pure admiration as the model (some janky man with an eyepatch, his one visible eye sketchy to all hell) posed for the shot._

_Mil Mi-28 [20,000 Sens]  
An automatic machine gun rifle conveniently accompanied with a concealed bladed weapon designed for combat. Brought to you by the engineer, Lorenz Dussel._

_Ivy gave an impressed whistle. "Are you buying automail or something? Kinda weird for an automail shop."_

_"No no." Winry shook her hand. "Sometimes we do buy some of the tools shown in the catalog but for the most part," her face contorted into one of flushed joy. "I just like looking at everything that's being made in Rush Valley right now." _Gearhead alert! Gearhead alert! Her inner grease monkey comes forth! _"One day, one of my works is gonna be in this thing!"_

_Ivy laughed and clapped her hands. "Good luck with that!"_

"You think the newest God's Studio line is gonna come out by next catalog?" Ivy asked offhandedly, as she skimmed over the models that had practically been burned into her retinas. Winry had been anticipating the release of their newest line for months and had been pretty disappointed when she got to the catalog's pride and joy and saw only the old models riddling the page. (Ivy had instead found herself ready to have a heart attack when she saw the God's Studio price tags.)

_A.W.38 [95,000,000 Sens]  
Legs built to last from Rush Valley's very own God's Studio! Crafted from the finest steel and processed with copper and nitinol for the tough and crackling terrain of the battlefield!_

The limb depicted was hulking, the base of the foot thicker than the rest. But the finishing polish made the thing shine even brighter than the Major's own head. Finally on the knee plating, the tell-tell sign of the automail's origin came in the familiar red Cancer-like ornament. God's Studio was the type to brand all of their works.

"I hope so." Winry replied, a whine in her throat and Ivy chuckled softly.

"Need me to play my tiny violin?"

"Oh don't be an ass." Winry lifted her sanding tool threateningly. The addition of the goggles remaining on her face only served to make her look more threatening in a Disney villain kind of way.

"And would you look at the weather we're having today? It's a beauty!" Ivy coughed, looking towards the door. "Nothing sand tool or wrench throwing worthy at all."

"Pff!"

The relaxed air between them didn't seem to last as the feeling in Ivy's chest returned. She had to tell Winry she was leaving eventually and the longer it took, the worst it was going to be when she had to finally bring it up. _Rip off the bandaid, my ass, Carter._ Ivy swore to herself.

"... Hey, Winry?"

"Hmm?" Was the absent minded reply, Winry not glancing up. The only sound between them being the sound of her sanding tool functioning and curving to where the next knuckle joint would be placed on the hand plate.

"... Have you eaten breakfast yet?" Ivy wanted to kick herself in the ankle.

"Granny brought some up this morning while you were out jogging."

"Oh. Cool." Glancing past the girl, Ivy could spot an empty plate decorated with crumbs and a used fork laying atop it. "I'll take that down for you."

"Got it."

The silence returned again and Ivy swore again, turning her brown eyes back to the catalog. Her eyes, ironically enough, landing on a sentence on how God's Studio prides itself on its integrity and honesty in getting out the best automail prosthetics around the country. 'Quit being an ass and say something' was the message that Ivy felt like she was receiving.

"..." Ivy glanced up from the catalog, chest feeling heavier than it did when she had finished her jog. "Um, Winry?"

The mechanic took her finger off the switch of her micro sander, setting it down with the plating before taking off her glasses. Her eyebrows were furrowed, blue eyes sharp. "Ivy, it's really hard concentrating on Ed's arm when you keep distracting me." Ivy bit the inside of her lip, the comment stinging more than it would normally as she indignantly couldn't help but think: _It never bothered you before if I talked while you worked._

The offness from yesterday's four seconds hadn't completely gone away, after all. It was there, just under the surface waiting to be poked and prodded at until it was finally time to confront it.

"I know, I just... " Ivy trailed off, her right leg beginning its familiar bounce. "I needed to tell you something important."

The sharpness never left Winry's gaze. "Yeah?"

Ivy took a deep breath, trying not to flinch and cave under the unwavering blue looking back at her. "I think I'm gonna be leaving back to Central soon." She said at last. "I wanna try and make up with my mom."

Winry's reaction wasn't immediate and to Ivy, that only served to make it worse as the seconds ticked by and Winry stared blankly at her. Until Winry, looked down at her knees. "I knew it…" Her voice was barely louder than a whisper. "I thought you sounded different yesterday when Ed talked about you becoming a gearhead. You sounded really defensive and even if you didn't say it would be immediate… I kind of knew from right there that you weren't planning on staying in Resembool anymore and that you'd be leaving soon."

Ivy felt like she was swallowing a thousand pin needles. "I'm really sorry, Winry." She whispered back, staring down at her knees. "I pushed it off enough already. It isn't that I hate being here with you and your granny or that I don't wanna learn about automail, because I do." The interest in the metal limbs had genuinely been blossoming to a level rivaling that of Ivy's interest in volleyball. "I just… I have stuff in Central that I need to do and hearing Ed and Al talk about going there just made me realize that I need to get off my ass and go back home."

"... I understand." Winry replied after a few heartbeats.

"B-but I'll call everyday!" Ivy coughed out before she could stop herself. "And write too if you want. I know that you said those dweebs suck at it, so I'll call twice as much to make up for it and-" Ivy cut herself off as a pair of arms wrapped around her shoulders, breath quivering. Ivy could only hug back. "I'll call, I promise. And I'll visit whenever I can."

"You'd better." Winry's voice was muffled in the crook of Ivy's neck. "Or I'll hit you with a wrench the next time I see you."

Ivy huffed. "I'll make sure that I don't forget. I think seeing Ed sprawled out on the floor the other day really sells that threat."

"It's not a threat, it's a promise." Winry mumbled, squeezing tighter. Ivy squeezed back. "I'll really throw it at you."

"... Yeah."

"A-and no cheating on our automail and trying to get apprenticed by someone else." Winry added with a hiccup.

"I'll keep my eyes strictly focused on Rockbell-specific designs."

There was a sniffle and neither girl made an attempt to move. "Wanna hug for a while?" The fabric of Winry's bandanna shifted against Ivy's chin as she nodded and Ivy gave her back a small pat. "Only for a little bit so you can work on Ed's arm…. I'll do the all nighters with you too."

Another nod.

Ivy breathed a quiet and shaky breath of her own as she stared at the wall across from her. On them lied various blueprints and planks for holding cords and wires. Another familiar sight she'd be saying goodbye to in only a few couple days.

_"B-but I'll call everyday!"_

_"I'll call twice as much to make up for it!"_

_"I call, I promise. And I'll visit whenever I can."_

Ivy bit her lip harshly, the sting feeling like a well deserved punishment for the things she had let slip out of her mouth.

_What on earth are you getting yourself into, Carter?_

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

And here's Updated Chapter 6. A transitional chapter before Ivy finally sets off with the Elrics like she's Eep from the Croods getting ready to leave the cave at night for the first time. I really wanted to emphasize the emotional impact between the two of them and Ivy's affections for Winry that she personally considers a hindrance because having an attachment to anyone here is a bad idea since she has to leave eventually. Their relationship is personally one of my favorites to write and the Elrics as well which you'll see more of in future chapters when they have to begin living with each other.

That aside, I mentioned in the original author's note that I hoped people would get the references I made this chapter and I don't think anyone did. But like how Hiromu Arakawa named her military cast after specific weapons, I took the weapon names and turned them into names for specific automail pieces in the catalog from Rush Valley. I thought it was a nice but subtle homage!

If you're still reading this, I hope you liked the small changes.


	7. Putting My Defenses Up

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** With an anime loving best friend, Ivy has heard plenty about whatever show of the week they're into. But when she manages to cross the gate during an attempt to take a shortcut home, she finds herself in a frightening position. The main character in an Another World fanfiction trope; and with reluctance, she finds herself teaming up with the main characters to get back home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

_"This dude is out like a light. And you know what, I'm gonna do the same thing Edward's doing. Night guys, Pinako remember… wake me up at the earliest convenience."_

_"It's hard to believe that he's a 'human weapon'. After all, we're the same age and he's so tiny."_

_"But when he heard the miner boss say 'the mines are our homes and our graves', he ended up helping them out after all."_

_"That's why I appreciate how you and Winry always welcome us back like we're your real family. Ed does too, even if he doesn't say it."_

_"Maybe we could get over it if we just had a good cry. But with this body, I can't cry even if I wanted to."_

_"And then there's this idiot who has a body that can cry but won't."_

_"Granny, Winry... thank you."_

_Crying bald man._

Ivy yawned as she packed her bags.

Procrastination hit her hard that morning after Winry had completed Edward's arm and in exchange for being properly packed for tomorrow, Ivy spent it napping off and on and groggily hoping for tomorrow to rear its ugly head. "So much for sleeping." She grumbled, folding the clothes gifted to her by Pinako. (But halting at the sight of the Major and eavesdropping on a personal family conversation for a few extra minutes definitely didn't help in rushing her way to bed.)

Though without much to actually pack, the complaining on Ivy's part was mostly for the sake of tiredly having something to think about.

Tomorrow she'd be out of Resembool and be taking the first steps to her journey back home and tonight would be the last night she'd ever spend in the sleepy town.

_… I wish I could be happier._ She bit her lip, finally folding the last of her pants and zipping her duffel bag closed. If it had been a month ago, she'd definitely be on the happier side about this. The notes and books on automail and engineering that had been accumulating on her borrowed desk had been stacked neatly, her clothing for tomorrow already picked out. Everything more or less in the exact state it had been in when she had first been invited to stay in their guest room.

The air of finality was tangible.

A yawn pushed past Ivy's lips once more and she sat down on the mattress, eyes closed as she took a deep breath. The smell of the room, an odd mixture of old cedar and oil, was comforting. Something worth an extra five or so seconds breathing in one last time.

Yet at the sound of a soft knock, Ivy's eyes fluttered open."Ivy? …. Are you awake?"

Her smile was small but present nonetheless as Ivy softly called back, "Yeah, I'm up." She tapped a foot against the wooden floor. "Just finished packing."

The door opened, revealing the sight of a familiar blonde. "Sorry to bother you, I know you have to get up really early tomorrow." Winry smiled apologetically. She was in her pajamas, an oversized lavender shirt and pale blue shorts, hair billowing past her shoulders. "I just wanted to say goodnight."

Ivy gave a two fingered wave, "No problem." She eyed Winry's hands, or lack thereof, as they were hidden behind her back. "Oh? You got somethin' back there? A present? You shouldn't have. Well, you totally did. I love pre-"

Winry cut her off with a soft laugh, "You're rambling so I know you're starting to get tired, so I guess I'll go ahead and just give it to you now." She walked forward until she was finally able to sit on the bed, pulling a wrapped gift from behind her back. "It's… not really a big present but I thought you'd find it really useful."

Brown hands grabbed the thing giddly, "All presents are big presents." She replied as she lifted the hard-shaped present and gave a small shake, hearing something metallic scraping. "And I am pretty sure I know what this is." Ivy chuckled, peeling the paper away until what was revealed a small green tin. Opening the tin a moment later revealing the small wrenches, fasteners, washers, cloths, and oil tin inside. The polishing gave everything a fine finish, everything looking practically if not, brand new. "Aww Winry, this is so cute!" She whispered loudly.

"_Tada_. I know you won't be building automail anytime soon but I still thought it would be useful for you while Ed and Al were in Central. I know he's never going to keep up with his maintenance or any kind of advice I give him." Winry moved a stray hair behind her ear. It had been an experience watching the remainder of what she had to do to finish Edward's arm, the arm itself being composed of steel (with a good 17% of chrome. Winry had said it would make it more rust resistant.) "The oil should come in handy if he ever runs out of his own or just looks like it needs a good checkup."

"I'll make sure he takes great care of it whenever I run into them." Ivy vowed. "I'll remember everything from your notes."

"You're not taking them with you?" The surprise in Winry's voice sounding as if she expected her notes and books to be gone with the wind in Ivy's bags.

"I kinda thought you'd want them to be here." Ivy mumbled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck with the hand not keeping her toolbox in place. "It isn't like I can just put them back on your workbench whenever I want to, you know?"

Winry shook her head, "No it's fine." She gave Ivy a hardy pat on the back. "You should take them so you don't forget everything! Just leave the books on alloys and tempering, those are Granny's. Everything else is yours 'cause I'm expecting a confirmed makeup session with your mom and a revved up spirit for creating automail the next time we see each other in person!"

"Pfff." Ivy covered her mouth, not sure if the tiredness made the statement funnier than it should be. "Making automail sounds great, Winry. Just get your butt to bed, I know you haven't slept at all today."

"Yeah yeah." Winry stretched, arching her back a little as she stood up. "I wanna sleep for a century."

"That's a mood." Ivy went slack, allowing her back to fall against the mattress as she closed her eyes. _I could fall asleep just like this._ "I'll probably fall asleep on the train ride."

In the self-made darkness, could still picture Winry's face as she giggled. "Hey, Ivy?" Ivy hummed wordlessly to indicate she was still awake. "... Can I sleep in here tonight?"

"Yeah sure." Ivy grumbled. It hadn't been the first time they had shared a bed. They'd had their sleepovers laughing about Ivy's puns or arguing over who would cuddle Den. There'd been times Winry stopped by to chat and fell asleep tiredly on Ivy's bed and Ivy got stuck with a sleeping partner. "Lemme just put the toolbox up." Ivy grumbled, forcing herself up to properly close the thing before it spilled over onto to the floor loudly. She crawled to the right hand side of the bed, placing her gift beside her lamp. Beside her, the bed felt heavy as Winry crawled into the blankets. "Yep, just make yourself at home."

Another tired giggle escaped Winry's lips, Ivy collapsing beside her. "You'll catch a cold outside the blankets."

Ivy groaned but properly got under the covers anyway. Sleep couldn't come fast enough even with her eyes remaining closed. "Night, Winry."

A warm hand wrapped around Ivy's and Ivy's eyes shot open as she looked to her left. Winry's eyes drooped with warmth, smiling tiredly but pleasantly locks of blonde framing her face like a stream. "Good night, Ivy." She squeezed Ivy's hand. "Good luck in Central."

Ivy's heart stuttered before drumming like a cacophony of thunder as blue kept staring at her, gaze unwavering. "Uh yeah, you too." Realizing her mistake, Ivy corrected herself. "With the business I mean. No more all nighters. Sleep tight, don't let those bed bugs bite."

Winry beamed one last time before closing her eyes and snuggling closer into the pillow on her side of the bed, but her grip on Ivy's hand hadn't loosened. Ivy's hand felt warm and she prayed it wasn't sweaty. _And if it is. I'll just say it's because it's so warm under the blanket._ Ivy did her best to turn her face fall down into her pillow, hoping she'd smother herself. _Oh no. No. Nope, nope, nope. That's bad, that was bad. Thinking she's really pretty is really bad._

All of the hand holding and the stuttering heartbeats were bad.

Suddenly, leaving Resembool seemed like the best idea she could have conjured and when Winry's breathing turned into rhythmic and shallow, Ivy wrenched her hand away, flustered.

* * *

_God, kill me._ Ivy couldn't stop the yawn that forced its way out her throat, eyes watering heavily.

"You'll get plenty of rest on the train, once you get there." Pinako tittered as Ivy wiped her eyes.

"That's what you get for doing all nighters with Winry when you knew we'd be leaving in a couple of days." Edward chaffed as he slipped a metal hand into a white glove. "What were you doing up when you weren't the one building the arm anyway?"

Ivy offered a shrug. "Automail emotional support?"

With a small and exasperated shake of his head, Edward pointed his eyes at Pinako. "Thanks for everything, Granny."

Ivy could see a smile just beneath Armstrong's mustache, as he nodded in satisfaction. "Indeed, Madam Rockbell." He stood on one knee, a large hand extended for a handshake. "Your hospitality was quite wondrous."

"Why you're welcome, young man." It's seriously hard imagining this guy being anywhere close to young. Ivy sniggered in her observation. The Major had seemed more like a well-illustrated grandpa, one popular with children and who always seemed to be in a good mood. He at least had great stories to tell about his family last night at dinner. (Something about his great great great grandmother.)

Alphonse pet Den's head, "Hey, where's Winry?"

Ivy flinched at the name. When Pinako came in to wake Ivy up after the hours it took for her to fall asleep, Ivy was relieved Pinako had said to leave Winry be for some well-deserved rest. Even once she had finished making Edward's arm, the girl hadn't slept at all. Staying up to make sure that Edward didn't wreck his arm all over again while he sparred with his brother and the Major.

"She did so many all nighters that she's still asleep." Pinako replied matter-of-factly. "Want me to go wake her?"

"Don't bother." Edward waved a hand passively, already turning away from Pinako's house in a few steps. Ivy felt relieved herself. "If you did that, she'd just go on and on about automail. 'Don't forget about your maintenance', 'Make sure you dry it off after a bath', or something like that."

There was a drag, then a laugh. "You make it sound like we're smothery." Alphonse laughed nervously in response. "You all take care of yourselves out there in the big city. Don't get Ivy wrapped up into being an absolute babysitter either."

"Yeah yeah."

"Oh. And don't forget," Edward turned back around slightly, curious. "if you're ever in the mood for some good home cooking, come right on back. Even you, Major."

Ivy forced a smile as the two beside her, Alphonse and Armstrong returned sentiments of agreement. "We'll be back."

Edward grinned in disbelief, "You want us to come back to the boondocks for a meal? You really are getting senile, Granny."

Armstrong crossed his arms but his expression was pleasant. "Oh Edward Elric." He clipped. "Having a home with a family to return to, it's such a wonderful feeling."

"Sounds like the the Major is getting senile too." Ivy clasped a hand over her mouth, looking pointedly away from them and at the sheep farms she'd been acquaintanced with over the past month.

But a sleepy "Hey guys!" brought her attention back to everything behind her, Winry tiredly waving a hand. "Come back soon, okay?"

_Really bad._ Ivy ignored her stomach as she waved back nonchalantly. "I'll be back for Den, eventually!" She called, the joke calmed her nerves slightly.

Winry slouched comfortably on the balcony rail, her smile not faltering. "Don't forget your promise, Ivy."

"I'm not, I'm not or you won't be forgetting yours, I know!" From the corner of her eye, Ivy could see Edward and Alphonse sharing a look, Edward shrugging promptly. "See you guys, later."

The turn around and walking away seemed almost seamless, but Ivy could feel her chest having its own internal cage match. It felt like her back was burning. "What promise was Winry talking about?" Ivy kicked a close pebble, giving Alphonse a glance.

"Oh that thing?" Ivy was almost surprised at how calm her voice came out, despite her feelings. "I uh… I told her that I'd smack Ed with a wrench for her if he didn't keep up with his maintenance. She gave me a toolbox and everything; the wrenches in this thing are top notch quality." She pat her duffel bag with a smile that deserved a Shit Stain of the Year award.

"What?!" Edward's eyes widened to a comical scale as he latched onto his brother. "What the hell?! I thought you didn't get that upset over wrecked automail! Smack Alphonse, he can't even feel anything!"

"Hey!" Alphonse snapped back angrily, a long arm pushing Edward as far as possible. "Don't use me to get out of discipline for your automail!"

"Ah yes, but my love for the Rockbell family requires that I do this one thing for her to make sure that you don't completely ruin it." Ivy wistfully turned her chin up to the sky, hushedly. "So you have to be the one to take full retribution for any hiccups you have when it comes to your arm. Right, Major?"

Armstrong nodded, nearly bald head gleaming. "Absolutely! Taking your responsibilities head on marks being a man, Edward Elric!"

"Oh come on!"

Ivy grinned, "If you don't want the wrench, then make sure your arm stays in good shape. Remember, its-"

"17% chrome, I know." Edward groaned, scratching the back of his head. "We trade one gearhead for the next."

Ivy sighed out a laugh, taking in the last of Resembool she'd probably be seeing for a long while.

The manure smell was practically nonexistent, the wetness of the grass smelling pleasant to her nose. The morning dew was practically white in the morning's light. The breeze cool though tinged with warmth to come later in the day when the sun's rays truly got to work.

Along the trail, Ivy could already see farmers leaving their houses as they readied to usher their livestock out to roam the pastures.

Feeling the corners of her eyes starting to prickle, Ivy directed her thoughts elsewhere. _Think about Hannah Montana or all of those Trap Queen vines._ She huffed internally. Akasha had gone through a huge Hannah Montana phase when they were in elementary school and Ivy had been forced to watch that the show in its entirety, the movie included. _Zig Zag, across the floor, shuffle in diagonal…._

But Ivy could feel it in her heart as she sat at the Resembool train station, the main village not even up and running completely as Edward and the Major purchased the tickets.

Resembool was always going to be alive to her, even when she finally found her way back home.

Ivy gave Alphonse a small nudge, leaning closer to his side."So how long til we get to Central?"

"Maybe 1 or 2 days." Ah. Ivy pursed her lips, nodding. "Resembool is kind far off from the capital so it takes a little while. But there's really nice scenery and a food trolley on the train too. Sorry we don't really have that much entertainment for you."

"No, it's fine. I have some stuff to read if I get really bored." Even if it would just be everything automail-related. "So, you guys said the reason you're heading to Central is for lead on that stone you're looking for, right? Funny enough there's a Philosopher's Stone in my world too, but it's mentioned once in the first book of a series where the main characters are all wizards and witches. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone."

"For magic?" Alphonse's voice echoed with amusement. "Brother would probably pull his hair out if he heard that, haha."

"I'd honestly pay to see that."

"But yeah, we're going there to find these notes made by an alchemist named Tim Marcoh." Alphonse crossed his arms, leaning back further on the bench they were sitting on. "He used to work for the military conducting research on the Philosopher's Stone and even managed to create one, maybe even more. So we're hoping to read his notes so we can finally make one of our own and get our bodies back. We're really excited since this is the strongest lead we've ever had on the stone before. So it really might not be long before we're back to normal."

Ivy pat the boy on the knee, smiling. "Well congrats on that, man. I know that you're gonna really like being all flesh and bones again."

If suits of armor could smile, Alphonse would be smiling. "And hopefully there's something we can do about getting you home." It was somewhat of a longshot, but it couldn't be completely out of the range of abilities of the Stone. "And even if there's nothing in his notes about other worlds, we might be able to find something on it. We just might have missed it before considering we've only been focusing on alchemy-relating to the human body and the Stone."

"We'll figure something out, I think." Ivy said, trying to reassure herself more than anything. "Be stubborn and all that jazz, and somehow we'll get answers." The entire subject of alchemy seemed more complicated now with the inclusion of some kind of Macguffin but things had to have worked out since Akasha implied there would be a happy ending. "You'll have to explain alchemy more to me though since that stuff goes out one ear and out the next for me."

Alphonse nodded, "We'll help you out for sure."

"And, uh, I'll find a way to help out too. Even if there's no alchemy."

Alphonse raised a hand, "You really don't have to-"

Ivy cut that sentence off before it could even reach a period. "You're already doing a lot even believing anything I've told you." She lifted a finger, a second joining the ranks soon after. "Not to mention you're actually going along with everything and trying to help me get back to the right side of the universe. So me trying to be helpful in some kind of way is a given here, alright?" I'll feel totally useless if I don't contribute _anything_!

"Winry gave me some tools and notes and stuff, so I can help with maintenance for your brother's automail." Ivy had her own notes taken during the building of Edward's arm and they were scripted cleanly including the proper oiling schedule, its tensile, compressive, yield, and impact strengths, and the alloys it was constructed from. "And uh, I'm not really sure about the maintenance of armor but I know about keeping steel polished, y'know. So you guys are gonna be in top form."

Alphonse was still laughing by the time Edward made a sprightly return to their bench. "What's so funny?"

"Ivy was just saying that she'd help you out with your maintenance." Alphonse said lightly, pointing at Edward's right arm. "So you don't have to worry about having a wrench thrown at your head."

Edward's lips stretched into a scowl, left hand clenching his right forearm tightly. "You're not funny."

"I wasn't trying to be for once." Ivy replied dryly with a smirk. "It isn't like I'll be doing any hard repairs so keeping it oiled and polished is something I can do. Not to mention I've been studying and I've got all the crucial information. So you can feel rest assured, young one. Your head won't be needing any bandages while you have your research binge and your hand will be moving as fluidly as possible."

"Anymore quips and I'll just tear up your ticket and kick you back to Granny's." Edward squint, Ivy looking off to the side innocently to see if she'd be able to see the train coming towards the Resembool station.

It took the better part of twenty minutes for the train to Central to finally arrive, and it was about an hour into the train ride when the word vomit slipped between Ivy's lips. "Oh yeah, so I read a little about alchemy while I was in Resembool because there was a book about it in the general store. But I don't really get how the Deconstruction phase thing is before the reconstruction one. Wouldn't it be the opposite?"

"Actually, it's Deconstruction first since you have to be able to make the material you want to reconstruct into something malleable before you turn it into something else. Of course you need to make sure the proper materials are there of course since the entire concept of alchemy is wrapped tightly bound in the laws.

Then you continue on with the flow of energy so you can finish the transmutation. But there are some who seem to stop completely at the Deconstruction phase…"

There was a concerned shared look.

"But alchemy itself is simple enough in it's basic premise but there's plenty of ways to go about transmuting and state alchemists all have their various styles from transmuting flames to, well…. Whatever it is the major does."

"Hmrph! The combat alchemy used in the Armstrong family has been intricately developed for generations to what it is today now! Utilizing the users own physical strength and alchemical knowledge, it's specialty stems from the act of deconstruction; something Armstrong alchemists of the past realized could be used in more purposeful functions. So it was subsequently decided by Theodosia Armstrong, who also developed the scabbard passed down the Armstrong family for generation-"

"Geez, Major, just how many things _have_ been passed down your family for generations?"

"Allow me to tell you!"

"Nope, nope nope, we are not getting him started again! He did this on the train ride to Resembool and I am _not_ listening to him go on about portraiture, cross-country tracking, and even hair brushing!"

"Hair brushing is something worthy of a skill passed down a family?"

"Of course! Allow me to tell y-"

"Anyway, back to _alchemy_! Alchemy is typically done with transmutation circles and each one is comprised with its own runes, but all the runes have their own meanings too so they can affect a transmutation. The sun for instance is masculine and signifies gold and the moon, its opposite is feminine and represents silver and they can be used together or separately, but a lot of alchemists say that combining them together is the most powerful use of them.

Then there's-"

"Uh… Brother, I think Ivy's starting to look like she's going to explode."

Ivy swore her eyes felt like they were swirling in spirals. _I literally only just wanted to know why Deconstruction came before Reconstruction._ "I can't believe you guys somehow made automail sound easy." It had seem daunting at first when she first started reading the books lent out to her by Winry. Yet now everything she had learned seemed like basic algebra compared to whatever had just been spewed out the mouths of the alchemists before her "You guys just made me reconsider any hint of me trying alchemy in the future."

Armstrong's blue eyes sparkled curiously, "I'm sure you'd be a splendid alchemist, Ivette Carter."

"Trust me. I wouldn't. I think I'll just stick to everything I learned from Pinako." That, she could understand. "You guys can take care of alchemy for me instead."

Edward scoffed, "You're no fun." One of his hands held a small dark brown notebook. "Alchemy just seems daunting because you haven't actually applied it in practice yet. And there's plenty of amazing female alchemists- Major, do not start-" Armstrong's only response was to shake his head. "Our teacher was a woman, actually."

A woman with black hair in long micro braids came to mind. "Oh yeah?" Akasha said her alchemy was pretty amazing. "And my mind's broken enough, but what kind of alchemy did she teach you guys?"

"..."

"Um… Guys?"

Edward and Alphonse latched onto each other, practically in tears. "It was horrifying!"

"God, I'm sorry I asked." Ivy shuddered herself.

"Teacher would eat us alive." Edward grounded out. "You're lucky that you have Granny, the only things scary about her is her wrinkles."

"Your teacher doesn't live in Central, does she?" Ivy wriggled, her rear already starting to feel irritated from the wooden seat. "Because if she does, I think I should be properly prepared for this meeting."

"She doesn't." Ivy sighed in relief at Alphonse's answer.

"Odd, you make it sound like you'll be traveling together." Armstrong stroked his chin. "Aren't you planning to return home with your family?"

"Er, well, if things go well with them, of course." Ivy coughed. "But nothing interesting really happens to me so I'm hoping to learn a bit from this experience. I have a friend who's a big fan of alchemy and would probably love to be in my shoes so, uh, I wanna take in everything that I can."

Armstrong's gaze intensified, "Friend or not, you shouldn't leave an apprenticeship to play about with others not in your field of practice." He said sternly. "Automail is an amazing practice, even where alchemists lie considering not even we can replace limbs lost from a human body under normal circumstances. So you should make sure to take your training very seriously when you return back to Resembool, young lady."

Ivy could see Alphonse and Edward sharing a look as Armstrong stared her down and Ivy did her best to smile normally as she ignored it. "Of course, I'm already planning on it." Her right leg bounced slightly. "I still have notes and everything that I'll be looking over while I'm in Central that tell me everything I need to know about the basics. The hardest part about it is just that Winry's handwriting is so bad that I spend half the time having to rewrite everything separately on different papers so I can understand it. But I've got everything written down about the four strengths determinants of metal and the color coding accepted around engineers when it comes the wiring and circuitry. Each one is supposed to react to various brain commands until eventually everything comes together in harmony to make the thing move. I even got to see the forge where they bought their metal too."

"It sounds like you were close to starting to construct your own automail!" Armstrong exclaimed. "Good for you."

"Ha, yeah actually." If Edward and Alphonse had taken any longer in returning to Resembool, that's probably what would have happened. "Funny, I'm actually kinda regretting leaving before even making one." That kind of discovery would shake up the world back home!

"Well maybe once your time in Central is taken care of, you'll be able to go back and finish your training."

"Maybe indeed."

* * *

Winry stumbled down the stairs, rubbing at her eyes.

Somehow, she still felt tired even after just waking up from what was probably hours of sleep. Occasionally she'd wake up to use the bathroom, but soon after Winry would find herself plowing back down face first into her pillow and blankets. _I probably slept through the entire day._ She scratched behind her right ear roughly. "Good morning, Granny." She yawned.

"What do you mean 'good morning'?" Pinako chuckled, folded sheets in hand. "It's already almost time for dinner. I just finished doing laundry, the sun was pretty warm today so the sheets dried pretty fast."

Winry barely heard her grandmother's remark, blearily staring at the clock. It was 7:30. Ooof. "I really did sleep through the whole day." The blonde winced.

"And now that you're up, you can go clean up your work table." Came Pinako's response as she left to the hall closet to put the cleaned sheets away. "You haven't touched it since you finished Ed's arm."

"_Yes_, Granny." Winry scratched her head again. She was taking a long shower after she was done. "It'll be done before dinner."

"Good." The sounds of ruffled sheets and a creaky door accompanied Pinako's gravely voice. "It'll be quiet now that it's just the two of us. I was just starting to get used to there always being three. Four if you count Den."

Winry nodded even though Pinako couldn't see her doing it, blue eyes darkening. The silence in the house was one she had been dreading for the past two days since Ivy had confirmed that she would, in fact, be going back to Central. They spent the last two remaining all nighters together and Ivy would eat breakfast in the workshop, trying to get every possible second in before she would have to go. Time still managed to go by too fast, the sound in the house lacking and the weird jokes fading away.

_"Den and I are back and I am one. Hungry. King of the World." "You're not really even a king. Or a guy." "Just quoting a man I know named Kuzco."_

_"Winry, darling, your knight in nagging armor approaches-"_

_"Would nitinol be a good metal for the joints or would it suck since it would have to constantly be replaced since repeated cyclic bending strains it?"_

"Yeah… It is gonna start getting quiet around here." Winry mumbled. _I'm glad we had one last sleepover before she left._ Winry was sure she'd probably had cried alone in her room if they hadn't. Ivy's hand was sweaty but it was warm and comforting to hold onto.

Pinako's sandals clipped and clopped closer and Winry felt a small hand on her back. "She'll be back soon enough, Winry. Don't feel sad." Winry's smile was a small one. "And besides, she made you a promise."

"... Yeah, she did." The smile grew a tad larger. "And she said she was finally gonna make up with her mom too! So maybe next time she might come with her and show her everything in the shop so she can see what her daughter's been doing. I'll just have to work hard and make the time pass by until then."

Pinako grinned, "And you can get started with that by cleaning your work table."

A laughed bubbled out of Winry's throat adamantly, "Granny!"

"Hurry up now so you can shower before we have to eat."

"Yes, yes." Winry took her steps to her part of the workshop downstairs. The desk was a mess, wrenches and unused parts scattered about alongside an oil-stained rag. "Sheesh, that idiot better not wreck his arm any time soon." Gingerly, Winry started with lifting the rag and tossing it atop a barrel used for cleaning them. "Every time they come over, things get so crazy." She continued mumbling as she made quick work of picking up stray sockets. "I really hope the next time Ed comes back his arm is one piece, I don't wanna do any-"

Winry's hand, holding an unused plate, stopped just short of being brought up to her chest as she spotted a bolt.

On it, a tag labeled A-08.

With a blink, Winry set the plate down, bringing up closer to her face and within seconds, her expression of confusion became one of weariness.

_I forgot to put this bolt in the shoulder disk._ "... Whoopsie."

* * *

"Hurry up, Al!"

"You don't have to be in a rush, Ed!"

"It's not as if the library's going to run away."

"You certainly would think it with how fast the guy is running."

"Just hurry up and come on!"

Ivy rolled her eyes in amusement, slinging her backpack on with her duffel bag resting on her left shoulder. _So this is-_

"We're finally in Central!" Edward exclaimed excitedly, arms outstretched in victory.

_Asshole, he stole my line._ The smile was still on Ivy's face despite the thought, taking in the sight of the station. It made the one in Resembool seem puny in comparison. _I'm pretty sure it could fit in this one!_ There were enough tracks for three separate trains and the large crowd made it feel cramped and stuffy. The very same feeling she'd get waiting at a crowded bus stop.

"Welcome to Central." Alphonse whispered.

"It's good to be in Central." Ivy whispered back.

"We need to head straight to the library." Edward threw his arms up in victory, his suitcase swinging haphazardly. "The moment I can dig my hands into that journal… We're going to be doing just fine, Al!"

The enthusiasm was contagious, Armstrong sounding satisfied himself. "Now, now, we still need to make sure that everything is safe- ah!" His posture straightened. "Just what I was expecting. This way." Around the tall man, Ivy spotted a pair of saluting individuals, a man and a woman with matching dark blue uniforms.

"Major Armstrong," the woman smiled politely. "we've come here to escort you"

"Thank you, Second Lieutenant Ross, Sergeant Brosh."

The man, Ross?, perked up, eyes narrowing on Alphonse. "And this must be the Fullmetal Alchemist?"

A snigger tore out Ivy's throat before she realized it, the pair surrounding Alphonse in excitement. "My name is Maria Ross." The woman said (Ivy met a mental note to check her personal biases and low expectations of the early 1900s. Apparently, _this_ 1900s was a lot more equal.) "It's an honor to meet you, sir!" Maria's hair was black neatly cut and short with blue eyes, a small under the left.

"And I'm Denny Brosh, reporting for duty, sir." His eyes were green with his shoulder-length hair a sandy blond.

"Um…" Alphonse pointed a black finger in the direction of his brother.

"... Oh it's the little guy over there?"

Edward sister snapped, for lack of a better phrase. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU'RE CALLING-"

"Now now…" Armstrong grabbed the back of his cloak-coat thing and Denny and Maria shared apologetic looks.

"S-sorry, Fullmetal Alchemist, sir."

"Well, I had best head over to Central Headquarters to file my report then."

Edward's fumes turned into a cheesy grin, eyes glinting like the sun. "Oh really? So I guess this means that we won't be seeing for a while! Bye, Major~"

"Oh, you're leaving?" Ivy shoved her hands into her pockets. "It was nice hanging with you, Major."

"It was a pleasure of mine as well, Ivette."

Maria extended a hand, "And you are?"

"Oh, I'm Ivy Carter. I'm a new friend." Ivy pulled back out a hand to return the gesture. "So you'll probably be seeing my face for a while. It's nice meeting you both."

Armstrong looked pointedly at Ivy, "And you don't forget to check in with your mother."

Right. Mother. "Yes, Major Armstrong, I'll get on that." Ivy tugged at her duffel bag strap. "Just taking my time to brace myself."

The Major hummed, returning his gaze back to his subordinates. "Well, I leave the Elrics to you."

"Wait, we're getting set with more bodyguards?!" Edward scowled, mood switching once again completely.

Ivy raised a hand, "More like, you guys have bodyguards?" Her eyebrows furrowed. "The hell you need bodyguards for?!" Alphonse didn't answer, only laughing sheepishly as Edward scratched the back of his head awkwardly. _Why do they have to be involved in something that has to gain bodyguards? Why couldn't they be involved in something different? Like trying to farm sheep or fighting pokemon?_ "Why me?"

"Eh, look on the bright side?" Edward coughed.

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

And here's Updated Chapter 7. I actually did a big change for this chapter. In the original, Winry went to sleep in her room on her own. I felt that a last sleepover would have made the moment more endearing, so I added that. Now Ivy's in Central. But for this chapter, I think what I liked most when I first typed it up was the bit on the train when Ivy learned more about alchemy and Armstrong was getting ready to divulge his family history. Will he ever be able to without being interrupted? Who knows. I also liked showing off Ivy's knowledge of automail. I like that I took a different approach for her character, when I wrote this originally in middle school, I never got this far into the story but I think I wanted her to learn alchemy. But I feel that this was an improvement, her developing a skill set in automail maintenance I mean. Let me know what you all think about it!

If you're still reading this, I hope you liked the small changes.


	8. The Girl on Literary Fire

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** With an anime loving best friend, Ivy has heard plenty about whatever show of the week they're into. But when she manages to cross the gate during an attempt to take a shortcut home, she finds herself in a frightening position. The main character in an Another World fanfiction trope; and with reluctance, she finds herself teaming up with the main characters to get back home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

"Hey there it is!"

"Ah yes. That's the National Central Library." Maria announced as the car slowly came to a stop in front of a large building. "It houses more books than any other library in the nation. There are some that even say that it would take more than a hundred lifetimes to read all the books it contains."

Ivy whistled, impressed. "Wow. That's impressive." The library was huge, a white and gray building decorated with a large green tapestry with some sort of a creature on it. "And this is only just one part of it?"

"Have you never been inside the library before, Ms. Ivy?" Denny cocked his head curiously.

"Er when I was small, yeah." Ivy coughed. "I kinda took my interests to more…. geary-centric things so my time in the library kinda dried up."

"'Geary-centric'?"

"Yeah!" Edward waved a hand, looking as trying to look as nonchalant as possible. "Ivy was actually just in my hometown of Resembool doing an apprenticeship with an automail engineer that we know!"

Ivy stared thankfully at the boy. _You seriously just saved my ass._ "It was more of an accidental apprenticeship more than anything, but I've started getting the hang of it." She chuckled. "I never actually expected to get into engineering though, I was mostly just trying to see the sights."

"Resembool is an odd choice." Maria commented, curious herself. "Why not head to the automail hub of the country? We're not too far away from it."

Ivy just barely stopped her right foot from twisting holes into the floor of the car. "Like I said, it was an accidental apprenticeship. I didn't even know that there was an engineer in Resembool." _Technically, that isn't a lie if you really wanted to go into the details._ Ivy thought back to her arrival to Resembool and the confusion of every exchange she had. Akasha hadn't ever really told her the name of Edward and Alphonse's hometown, after all. "I would totally go to Rush Valley one day. But I'm pretty sure if I went without a certain tagalong, I'd find myself on the receiving end of a wrench-based murder."

That gained nervous chuckles from the brothers and concerned looks from Lieutenant.

"And you left your apprenticeship?" Maria pressed, arms crossing.

_Jesus, why do you guys have to ask so many questions?!_ Ivy wanted to scream and jump out of the car, hoping some black hole would conjure out of nowhere and take her away from this entire moment. "Temporarily! I needed to come back home for a bit; talk to my mom. We kinda had a big fight and I took off without really telling her anything so I just wanted to try and make things up with her."

The Second Lieutenant nodded in understanding, "I see." She smiled pleasantly. "If you'd like a ride home we can certainly do that for you."

Ivy held up a hand, "No, no you don't gotta." She played back the sounds of snapping in her mind rapidly as she tried to think of an excuse, any excuse. "I'm kinda trying to think about what I wanna say and I dunno how she'll react to a military car being outside our place. She might think I was in trouble and got arrested."

The concerned look in Maria's eyes became piercing and doubtful that in Ivy's worry. Ultimately, Maria conceded. "Alright, but if you need any help at all getting home, please let us know."

"So the library?" Edward coughed, Ivy thankful the attention was diverted from her again. "We've been pretty anxious to get to it. Specifically, the First Branch."

Maria and Denny shared a look. "Right, the First Branch. There's been a bit of a complication."

"And what's the complication?" Edward crossed his arms, a finger tapping out on his arm.

There was another shared look before Maria nodded at last and opened her door, "Sir, you might want to see this with your own eyes."

Ivy found herself sharing her own look with Alphonse, a sudden feeling of dread in her stomach. _Life, come on. Just throw me a bone here._ She begged quietly, drowning out whatever was being said by their guides as they walked passed the library entrance. _Even just a tiny bone, I'll seriously settle with that._

The dread only seemed to intuitively deepen from there as the rubble pieces of the ground came in sight followed by the ashen pieces of what Ivy could only guess was the-

"It's really unfortunate to announce this when you've been looking forward to it." Maria's started warily. "However, just yesterday the entire collection was incinerated. It hasn't been confirmed nor has the investigation been completed yet, but it appears to have been arson."

_Son of a bitch!_ Ivy nearly burst into tears, biting her lip to hold back the trail of curses she wanted to let out freely. "Damn." She grounded out. "This really bites, I was hoping you guys would be able to get that book you wanted." Her words fell on deaf ears.

Edward's hands clenched into fists, "How did this happen?!" Alphonse, even with his immovable face, seemed to be looking on in horror alongside his brother.

"We still have yet to discover the motive behind the attack, Sir." Denny answered, pity in his green gaze.

"Just perfect!" Edward bark, kicking a stray stone. "Dr. Marcoh's research is all gone!"

The information needed on this Philosopher's Stone, gone.

_My way back home._

_Gone._

Ivy wanted to make her lip bleed.

"Now hold on." Maria remarked, Ivy reluctantly spared the woman a glance with a spark of irritation. "This doesn't necessarily mean that your book was lost to the fire. Maybe there's another copy located in the library that you were unaware of?"

"... We're not really sure if there's another copy that we were told about." Alphonse muttered weakly, shining gaze falling onto his brother. "Do you think Dr. Marcoh had another copy just in case something like this happened?"

The elder Elric didn't respond, shoulders hunched.

Maria took the liberty of responding instead, "At any rate, it doesn't hurt to check with the library staff." Her voice was calm and assured, the corner of her lips turned slightly. "They may be able to find exactly what you're looking for."

Denny nodded in agreement, "The book may have been moved during the time it was placed in the First Branch."

Ivy tapped a foot. Their optimism was better than the three of them moping in self-pity by the setback. "They have a point, guys." She sighed at last. "For all we know, this Marcoh guy's book could have been moved around. So we might as well give it a whirl." _It better be there too._ "Ain't nothing wrong with a little verification game."

"That's the spirit." Maria added.

Edward finally turned around, less enthusiastic than he had been in the morning."Alright, fine. We can ask the staff."

Brown met gold and red eyes. For a moment, Ivy thought they were telepathically telling one another, _It'll be better than nothing_.

Then with hurried steps, they headed to the main building.

Ivy found herself pleasantly surprised when the woman manning the front desk had brown skin. _Maybe I'm not the only-..._ Ivy noted the woman's green eyes._ Well, some niggas back home got light colored eyes._ She reasoned. _So I'm not the only non-white person in the series._ She sighed lightly, relieved. _Remind me to give the author some grateful nods when I finally get out of this place._ "What are you looking chipper about?" Edward whispered, for once not seeming intimidating for the shortstack that he was. "Do you really think that there might be an extra copy of the research notes?"

"It ain't that." Ivy whispered back though that was definitely something to hope for. "This is just the first time I saw another black person here."

Edward's eyebrows knit in confusion, "But your skin isn't black, it's brown."

"My man, there ain't enough time in the day to talk about the names for different groups back in my hood."

"But I'm right, your skin is brown."

"Well, we also got African-Ame- ah, the library lady free. Hurry up before someone else gets her." Ivy elbowed him as the person ahead of left the library woman to her own devices.

Edward jogged over almost immediately. "Um excuse me, Miss!"

The woman raised a finger to her lips, eyes narrowed. "We're in a library, sir." She replied calmly.

"Er, sorry." Edward bowed his head slightly. "I was wondering if you had any books filed under the name 'Tim Marcoh', by any chance?"

"Tim Marcoh?" The woman repeated, opening some kind of registry book beside her. "Let's see…"

She flipped pass a handful of pages and skimmed through the 'M's several times. "What kind of book is it? A novel?"

"It's a research journal." Alphonse added helpfully. "Research about the Philosopher's Stone."

The woman nodded and looked over the pages once more. Ivy leaned against Alphonse's armored body for balance as she ground her toes impatiently.

….

"I don't see any research journals by a Tim Marcoh in our records." The woman said at last. "Certainly nothing about the 'Philosopher's Stone'. Any new acquisitions, whether kept in the main building or the other branches, should be on file. If it's not here, it either means that it doesn't exist or it was destroyed in the fire the other day."

Ivy wanted to screech like a banshee. _Oh you have got to be kidding me!_

This was just ridiculous!

Edward's dramatic collapse to his knees practically had the words 'doom' swirling around him.

"Er… sirs?"

"Thanks for your help." Alphonse mumbled.

"Are you alright?" The woman looked like she was torn between being amused and genuinely concerned.

"Do we look alright?" Edward snapped and Ivy was almost ready for her own quip when a bespeculated man leaned over, stacks of books in hand.

"Hey, maybe Sheska might know something?" When the woman didn't automatically respond, he added, "You know, the girl who used to work at the First Branch but got fired because-"

The woman's eyes brightened in realization and forgetting her own library rules, exclaimed. "Oh yeah!" She whipped out a scratch piece of paper and a pen before grabbing another registry book of some kind. "I could look up Sheska's address for you, if you'd like to meet her."

Edward's gloom-and-doom expression cleared up in exchange for one of curiosity. "Who's that?"

The woman smiled in exasperation and Ivy felt a wave of nostalgia. "You could say that she's a real bookworm."

* * *

After a couple bouts of knocking, the irritation set in.

"Maybe she ain't home right now?"

Denny knocked the lion door handle once more. "The lights are on so someone should be home."

_Well the knocking certainly isn't making this girl appear any faster._

Ivy shoved her hands into her pockets. _Should I have just kicked it in Resembool and start making my own automail instead?_ She contemplated, blue eyes and blonde hair flashing her mind. She shook her head. _Definitely a good move to come to Central instead. One hundred percent the best move to make. No regrets here. No regrets at all._

The sound of a door creaking made Ivy jump lightly. "Hello?"

"Y'all really 'bout to just walk in this woman's house?!" Ivy whispered in shock. Alphonse looked sheepish while Edward only grinned, muttering something about the benefits of being military personnel. _Dude, you are evil._ Ivy quickly reminded herself to keep whatever secret goods she had stored and locked away. Edward _screamed_ being the type to read someone's diary with no guilt or shame. As the door opened wider, Ivy sighed. "At least apolo- oh hell."

Edward beat her to the punch in surprised gasps. "What's with all the books?!"

Even the Sergeant's composer was shaken, "Someone actually lives here?!"

In front of them lied books. Books everywhere. Literal towers and mountains of books. _This girl puts Belle to shame, OMG!_ Ivy reluctantly followed the others into the hellscape of books before them. Inside, it was even more cramped than Ivy was expecting as she could barely see over the shorter towers had some books were skewed sloppily over others. Some books wrapped in bindings that appeared to have never been opened. Other books were lined neatly in a fine row atop of even book towers. _Is this how Miles felt when he looked at Doc Oct's computer desktop because geez!_

"How can anyone live with this much clutter?" Alphonse looked around, the sea of books only expanding as the Lieutenant and Sergeant called out Sheska's name.

Ivy nodded in agreement. _I never wanna hear Mom say my room is a pigsty ever again. Hell, I never wanna talk shit about Winry's work space again!_ Instead she said, "Maybe this is just the lady's organized chaos?"

Alphonse chuckled lightly. "Ma-"

_...Ellp..._

_Somebody..._

Alphonse looked to his right, Ivy's left. "Did you hear that?"

Ivy flinched as another soft, ghostly whine entered the atmosphere. "Yeah..."

_Between the alchemy and sparkling non-vampires, I really don't need a ghost showing up here!_ Ivy calmly looked to where Alphonse's gaze was heading and nearly pissed her pants. A stray hand with glasses sloppily grasped in them stuck out from a toppled mountain of novels. "You don't think-"

_"I'm stuck under here!"_

A surge of terror entered Ivy's chest and she immediately knelt down to start shoving books out the way.

"Guys, over here!"

"Brother, there's someone buried under books!"

More panicked shouts filled the air as hands, flesh and steel alike tore book after book from the pile until there was finally the semblance of a breathing human body gratefully gasping for air. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The woman yelped scrambling quickly to free her legs from underneath what was left. "Thank you so much! I thought I was going to suffocate under there!"

Ivy felt like she ran two miles. "How did you even _end_ up under there?!"

The woman, Sheska?, shakily placed her glasses where they belonged. "I tripped over some books and got stuck."

_Organize your personal library, Lady!_ "S-so are you Sheska?" Denny asked breathlessly.

"Y-yes, that's me!" Sheska answered after a moment. "I really... like books as you can see here."

"And you worked for the First Branch of the Central Library?"

Despite the near death experience, Sheska's black eyes brightened considerably. "I did! I've loved reading all my life, so when I got a job there I was ecstatic! But..." Her smile disappeared. "I really love to read so... I always would forget that I was supposed to be working and would read books instead, so I got fired." There was a pause, but if anyone planned to say anything, Sheska didn't allow them as she buried her face into her hands. "I need to be able to work so I can put my mother in a better hospital but the only thing I've ever been good at is reading, so I can't ever find a job! _I'm worthless, pond scum_!"

Ivy leaned back in horror. _Is this what life after college is like?!_

"Is she really alright?" Edward grumbled.

Ivy nearly shrugged.

Edward shook his head before finally raising a hand, "Uh... I just wanted to ask you if you knew anything about some research documents by a 'Tim Marcoh'?"

Surprisingly, the wallowing stopped almost immediately, Sheska placing a finger on her lip in deep thought. "A Mr. Marcoh...?" She clasped her hands together with a smile. "Yes, I remember! His notes were the only handwritten documents among all the printed books and someone had filed them incorrectly, so I remember them quite well!"

Ivy leaned forward once again, gloom exiting her chest. "So it really was there?"

Edward looked like his mind was going a million miles per hour. "But if they were handwritten notes then..." His expression turned into one of despair. "That means it was burnt to ash like the rest of the library."

The gloom returned even stronger than before. _We really are starting at square one._ Ivy inhaled deeply. _No one said this was gonna be easy._ She grabbed her knee tightly. _It's gonna be fine, it's gonna be fine._ There had to be other leads on this stone outside of whatever this Marcoh guy had wrote. That had to be a fact. So there wasn't any use getting super frustrated that the one good, solid lead the Elrics had had literally turned into dust.

"Did you want to read them? Is that why you're asking?" Sheska awkwardly inquired.

"Yeah but we're not going to know what was written in it. That was actually the only copy." Edward sighed. Ivy felt a surge of sympathy. Her wanting to go home aside, it's got to be rough when the only key to getting your bodies back to normal keeps slipping away time and time again. Especially for Alphonse, her eyes drifted to the boy who was even younger than her. Stuck in something that only has one of the five senses. It's got to be rough.

She opened her mouth to try and say something comforting-

"I remember what was in them if that helps?"

"Excuse me?" Ivy's head whipped around quickly.

Sheska smiled, actually looking confident. "I have a photographic memory. So when I read something even once, I still remember everything the way it was written without error."_ Sweet Deus Ex Machinas._ "I can transcribe everything if you'd like, but it might take a few d-"

Edward was already latching onto Sheska's hands gratefully. "Thank you, Bookworm!"

Ivy was already on her feet, practically skipping to the doorsteps. "Talk about convenient!"

"No kidding!" Alphonse sounded as if he were smiling, quite pleased with himself. "I've never heard of a photographic memory before! Have you, Ivy?"

Ivy nodded, "Yeah. I've never met anyone with it before, but there's this book series I remember as a kid where I think the main character was this child detective and she had a photographic memory. I never really read any of the books though."

"Books shmooks, we're getting Dr. Marcoh's research notes!" Edward beamed, catching up. "At this point, who cares if it takes a few days. I seriously thought that we'd have to start from scratch all over again." Who are you telling? Ivy ignored the fact she wouldn't even be the one reading the notes. _She was going to be upset nonetheless._ "We should probably go over all the other notes we have then in the meanwhile. Go through any other texts."

"I'm glad that the two of you were able to find the research journal, Sir." Maria sounded pleased with herself as she arrived, Denny following not too far behind. "I'm sure the payoff from the wait will be great."

Edward grinned widely. "I sure hope so." He let out his first satisfied sigh of the day. "Anyway, I guess we should book a hotel now. We're gonna be in Central for a while."

Ivy stretched on cue, "Yeah, I'm beat from having to sit on the train for so long." If she had to sit on any other surface that wasn't a soft mattress, she was going to scream her head off. "I'm getting my own room, right?" Her eyes gave Edward a pointed look. Nice or not, she wasn't sharing any kind of sleeping space with the brothers. _Sometimes, you just wanna walk around in your bra and panties and you can't do that with two dudes around. At least, not these dudes._

"Meh, yeah whatever."

"Wait a minute, you're making it sound as if you're planning on rooming here tonight." Ivy winced at the peering eyes of the Lieutenant and her right leg almost instantly burst into smearing some imaginary item into the fine carpet. "You're not planning on contacting your mother at all?"

"Um… No?" Ivy looked over to Edward and Alphonse who promptly looked away. _Assholes. You're no help at all!_ "Was planning on doing it in the morning? I can be nice and relaxed in the morning."

The scrutinizing look she was getting only felt hotter. "It's still bright and sunny out right now."

"Well the next morning?" Ivy offered. "It was kind of a tiring day following my friends on this important quest for an important document and I need a night to recover from all this…. Looking around?"_ But if you don't do something now, it could get even worse if you just keep coming up with excuses to do anything._ The voice inside her mind added. _FML._ "Get it?"

Maria did not, in fact, get it. "I understand that you and your mother had your arguments before you left Central, but it would be irresponsible of me to allow you to not at least contact your mother the first day that you're here." Ivy could feel her soul leaving her body. "You can at least give her a phone call and see what she says. And if all things go well, we'll see to it that you make it back to your home safely, understood?" Maria's gaze was firm; there wasn't going to be any room for arguing out of this one. "I saw a phone booth not too far away from here on the drive. We can stop there first."

Ivy saved her glare for after the Sergeant and Lieutenant turned around.

_"I hate you both."_ She mouthed as she stormed pass the brothers, the phone booth was within walking distance. "Alright, I'll give my mom a call. But I'm not expecting any miracles."

_What do I do?! What do I do?! **What do I do?!**_

Ivy could feel the blood rushing to her ears as the phone booth came closer and closer.

_Say you forgot her number!_ The voice said.

_You idiot, they'll just say 'Oh that's fine, we'll just drive you there instead!'_ Ivy countered back. _I'm screwed either way!_

By the time Ivy reached the phone booth, closing the door firmly, she was sweating bullets. Eyes were all on her, but she was thankful at least they were in front of her instead of standing behind her to see her every action in closer detail. _What would Akasha do?_ She kept her finger just barely from pressing the numbers, pretending to press and rotate the dial for every number needed. _Come on, Ivette Carter, think!_

_"Stage a fight, dude."_ Akasha's voice said.

_Stage a fight, sis._

"Uh... hello? Can you connect me to Rose Carter here in Central City?"

_Sure why not, with your lyin' ass?_ The imaginary phone operator cheerily replied.

Ivy paused before shooting Maria and Denny a thumbs up before pointing to the phone mouthing, 'She's on the line'. They smiled, Ivy forced a smile right back.

"Uh, hey Ma. It's me, Ivy. Yeah, just checking in."

_Girl, where the hell have you been?! You had me worried sick! _Ivy could already hear the near tears her mother would actually be in if she managed to get her now dead cell to work. _Were you kidnapped?! You can tell me what happened, baby!_

"No I wasn't kidnapped. Look, I know you've prolly been worried. Just wanted to say that I'm back in Central."

_Do you know how long it's been?! I've had everyone looking for you! The police, your grandmother, your daddy! Akasha and her family! Where are you!? The hell is this Central?! You better mean the central of Vallant!_

"I ain't tryin' to argue with you, right now, Ma! I get it, I'm failing you on all accounts of Daughterhood and- Can you let me finish explaining things to you?! I was in Resembool-"

_Where are you?!_

"I was in Resembool, woman! Damn! Listen to me! No you listen to me! You always do this! I try talking to you and you shut me down and just expect my ass to shut up and listen to you!" Ivy tapped her right foot. "What was going on with me and- **_Mom_**!" Ivy could vaguely see the expressions outside turning into ones of worry. "Why can't you just accept I'm different, Mom?!"

_I just want my baby to come home!_

"I'm different and I ain't gonna change because you just want me to be the perfect daughter with the right likes and dislikes!"

_Please..._ Ivy felt her throat tighten.

"I'm just- Mom, Momma, MOTHER. OH MY- I CAN'T EVEN TALK TO YOU RIGHT NOW! You know what, fine! Kick me out then! _I don't wanna go back to your damn house no way!"_

Dramatically, Ivy slammed the phone back down onto the whatever the hell you call the holder managing to clip her index finger. "Fuck!" She shook her hand harshly, eyes watering from the pain. Completely from the physical pain. She mustered a fake sniffle and wiped at one of her eyes. "Yeah, called my ma." She glared heavily at the military personnel in front of her. "It didn't work out too well, she kicked me out. Can I go to this damn hotel now?"

The replies of compliance barely reached Ivy's ears.

The ride there, she pointedly looked out the window all shoving all thoughts of her mother deep down inside.

_I'm sorry, Mom._

**[;';]**

"... Well, looks like we're stuck together after all. At least for a little bit." Ivy said, heart beating heavily as she stood inside Edward and Alphonse's room. The sun was beginning to fade, the drive from Sheska's proving to be long with the city traffic. Ivy could admit that she fell asleep at least once from the constant moving and stopping.

"Yeah..." Edward mumbled quietly. "Nice bit of acting out there at the phone booth." Outside the room, Maria and Denny were sitting on chairs. Apparently, they were the all hours of the day and night type of bodyguards.

Ivy shrugged, looking down at the cream carpet. "Only did what I had to. Honestly, my best work."

There was a pause.

"So what are you about to do now?" Edward fell back onto his bed, speaking at a normal level. "Sleep?"

Ivy shrugged, "I guess." She then quietly added: "It ain't like I have any leads outside your Marcoh guy on getting home. So I'll just lay low until we finally get results from your Sheska lady and hope we get something from there." Returning her voice to a normal volume, she wriggled a hand her finger still sore. "Maybe I can hang out at the library? I can look at some books on automail while I'm out here. What about you guys?"

"We'll be spending time in the exact same place until Sheska's done." Edward crossed his arms, leaning against the sofa. "We can't just do nothing until then, so we'll see what else we can find."

Alphonse nodded, "It isn't everyday we're in Central, so it'll be nice seeing what alchemical books they have there."

Edward smirked, "Wanna look at those books too? Not everyone can be an alchemical genius like myself, but I think you'll get the hang of it after a while."

"You know what, Edward?" Ivy squinted. "Keep talking smack and I'll find a reason to whip out my toolbox Winry got me."

_"Good night, Ivy. Good luck in Central."_

_"Don't forget your promise, Ivy."_

Ivy's mind instantly flashed with serene blue eyes and soft smiles and gloved hands caressing their newest masterpieces and her chest tightened._ Damn it, Carter._ She huffed, scratching the back of her neck. _This really ain't the time for this._

"Hey, what is it?" Ivy looked up to Edward's concerned eyes and the feeling of scolding only felt worse. _She isn't yours to like, so just drop it, Sis._ "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good."

Alphonse leaned over, worried. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah guys, just fine. Just remembered I promised to call the Rockbells when I got to Central." Ivy waved a hand and lowered her voice. "It just sucks having to lie about the Mom Thing, you know?" Edward and Alphonse shared a look of understanding. Ivy coughed and raised her voice to normal speaking levels again. "So I'll just go and let 'em know I'm fine in Central before hitting the sack."

Ivy barely registered the sounds of acknowledgement given to her as she walked past Maria and Denny's post, giving them a slight nod. "Do you know if there's a phone in this building? Gotta call someone else tonight to let them know I got here safely."

Maria's expression was one of sympathy. "If you go to the front desk, there should be one that guests of the hotel can use."

Ivy nodded, "Thanks." Guilt rose but she squashed the feeling back down. Her Mom didn't really get wrongfully yelled at, everything is fine. She quickly made her way to the front desk where a woman was organizing some papers. "Excuse me, ma'am, can I use the phone? I was told that there's one here that guests can use."

The hostess gave her best customer service smile, "Of course."

"Thanks." Ivy leaned across the desk, eyeing the phone. "I just remembered I promised a friend I'd let them know when I made it back to Central in one piece. So I gotta call her before she clocks out for the night." Or at least before Pinako's typical self-imposed curfew. Ivy wasn't trying to risk seeing what would happen if she woke the woman up from her sleep to exchange a few words.

The hostess nodded, handing the phone over, "Well, as long as the phone call isn't too long or too late, the phone is always free to use. Just remember to be mindful if others in the hotel may need to use it."

Ivy nodded, using her free hand to give a thumbs up of assurance, "This call will be short and to the point."

Then Ivy dialed the Rockbell's number and heard an eerily familiar voice.

"Hello, who are you trying to reach?"

It took a moment to place, then Ivy blinked in disbelief. "..." Her mind's voice quickly turned into Alex the Lion from Madagascar 2. **_You._** She could almost envision the scene of him glaring at the old woman who kicked his ass in the first movie. _An old foe arises._

"Hello?"

_Please don't remember me. _"Hi, yes, I'm here to-"

The man cut her off abruptly, annoyance in his tone. "I know that voice; aren't you that kid from before who tried calling a phony number?"

Ivy felt an eyebrow twitch, "Look, I'm actually calling someone who's number hasn't changed. The last number I had was… disconnected."

"Sure, kid." The man sounded as if he were rolling his eyes. _You know what? I hope you stub your toe on a piano. Or get smacked into my world. Let's see how you survive that, chump._ "So who is it you're trying to reach this time? The Fuhrer?"

"Actually, I'm trying to reach Rockbell Automail in Resembool!" Ivy snapped, startling the hostess who shot her a concerned look. Ivy smiled tightly at her, hoping that she seemed reassuring in some kind of way. "I'd really appreciate being connected to their line. I'm a friend of theirs, Ivy Carter."

Ivy could hear muted fumbling on the other side of the line before the man said at last, "Well it looks like these people actually exist, kid. I'm proud of you; you have friends after all."

"You know what-"

"Connecting you to the Rockbell's Automail Shop." The man said smoothly and his voice went quiet and abruptly turned into ringing.

Ivy grit her teeth then sighed. _God he is such an asshole._ _I seriously hope that he isn't going to be the operator every time I'm making a phone call._ It would be just her luck considering everything going on as of late.

"Well while I live and breathe, we finally get a phone call from an old guest of ours." Pinako's voice emerged as the ringing came to a halt. "Are you finally in Central?"

"Yep." Ivy answered, leaning onto the desk. "Ivy Carter is back in the big city. How's Winry doing?"

"Oh, just skip right over another certain someone in the house."

"Hey hey… I was gonna ask about Den too." The two of them erupted into laughter and light chuckles, Ivy's shoulders relaxing for the first time since she left Resembool. How she missed the light familiarity and how easy it had been. Gods, how easy it had been staying in that sleepy town. "But how's the place been holding up without me? You takin' care of yourself?"

The familiar sound of a pipe drag began then faded into talking. "The shop's been the same. Nice and quiet here in sleepy Resembool, times are peaceful here in the East so there isn't too much to do." Pinako had long since mentioned more in depthly that their business only skyrocketed during their -this world's- Civil War due to their proximity to the battlefield. But since then, things had calmed down and the Western and Southern parts of the country fell into militaristic despair. _"I can only imagine how the engineers over there are fairing. They're definitely getting more work than us."_ "So I can say I've had the time to take care of myself. And you?"

"Eeeh." Ivy's leg bounced, "I'm alright too. Nothing really improved on my part. So, I'll just base it up here for a bit before getting on the move again."

"I see." Even if she couldn't see the elderly woman's face, Ivy could picture her nodding. "I'm wishing you all the best. Did you want to talk to Winry now? She should be done with her shower."

"Sure thing." Her next breath, Ivy's chest felt reminiscent of that butterfly feeling. _Stop it._

"Alright, just give me a minute."

Ivy sighed as she heard Pinako's voice distantly calling out 'Winry! Winry, are you done?!' It had been easy enough ignoring and pushing thoughts of the blonde mechanic to the side in favor of actually favorable thoughts when she was on the train. Things had been fine before, why did this random development have to happen? (Because Winry was probably the sweetest individual she had ever met who was both beautiful with brawn and intelligence evenly matched? Perhaps.) _Maybe you should just not call anymore?_ Came first. Y_ou know you can't just make yourself do that._ Followed subsequently, knowing Winry would be hurt by it. _And then you'll be hurt for breaking a promise. _It would be a bloody day with wrenches, micro-sanders, and screws oh my.

_You know what, maybe you should just stop making promises._

"Ivy?" An energetic voice came out of nowhere.

"Oh sweet holy everything that is pure and sanctified- don't just sneak up on a phone call like that!" The exclamation caused the hostes to jolt again, this time shooting her a dirty look and Ivy coughed awkwardly holding a hand up apologetically. Winry only served to laugh her head off while Ivy sighed. "I love that you think my pain is hilarious, Winry."

With the last trails of laughter, Winry finally said, "How's Central and your mom?"

A less pleasurable feeling fluttered in Ivy's chest. Winry wasted no time jumping to what she wanted hear. "About that." The line grew quiet. "It didn't really work out well. Kinda got kicked out the house. So it's kind of just me on my own right now. So Ed and Al got me a room at the military hotel they're staying at."

"... I'm so sorry it didn't work out, Ivy."

"Hey, it's fine."

"No it isn't!" Winry sounded as if she were sniffling. "You shouldn't have gotten kicked out your house."

"Hey hey hey, no crying on our once in a lifetime reunion phone call." Ivy choked awkwardly. "I'm sending virtual hugs. I'm calling because I wanted the laughter and happiness, alright? So no crying, or your knight in nagging armor will have to halt the conversation."

The last bit wrung out a small chuckle, "I'm not crying."

"Good, because believe it or not, there are folks out there that are terrible at comforting people who are crying." Ivy sighed, resting her chin on her arms for a brief moment. "So this particular folk likes it better when you're not crying. Bring on the smiles and laughs that I love so much." _OMG Carter please._ Ivy shot back up with her back rigid as she tried calming her heart. "Speaking of laughs, you'll laugh at this. Central is the worst place to be an athelete. Like, I have no idea how I used to do my morning jogs before."

Winry's giggle was stronger than the last. "I'm sorry it's so bad for you."

"I suffer much in the lifetime, Miss Rockbell." Ivy whimpered dramatically. "So cramped with lots of cars and no Den to accompany me. You must pet her for me while I am gone."

"You'll be there for a while?"

Ivy nearly squinted but ultimately decided Winry's tone was more curious than disappointed. "Yeah, I figured there was some stuff I could do first since it's been a month since I've been here. Maybe meet up with some folks I know. But there's a huge library here, so I figured to keep up to date with the automail information I could read that with the books you got me."

"And no trying to get apprenticeships with other engineers. You're supposed to learn how to make automail from Granny."

"Yes, my love, I remember. I'm not to cheat on your family business."

"Promise?" Winry laughed.

Ivy ignored the heavy feeling in her chest. "You seem to love putting me in binding contracts, Winry Rockbell." She said as nonchalantly as she could. "I demand royalties in exchange for these. I'll be taking custody of Den now."

"How about if you keep this new promise, I don't have to swing a wrench at you the next time I see you."

"... You drive a hard bargain to beat."

Winry burst into laughter again and despite herself, Ivy still smiled pretending it was still her first month in Amestris. The quiet yet lively mornings and the chatty afternoons as she decrypted Winry's notes and they talked about her favorite automail ateliers and her plans to shake up the world of automail by a storm. Or the accidental sleepover when Winry was too tired to leave Ivy's room due to the random all-nighter and the two of them ended up clocked out only to wake up laughing about it the next day. The trips to scrap to find spare metal and looking up at the clouds for a while as Den napped. It was nice. "... I'm really happy you called." Winry said at last, sounding as if she were smiling peacefully to herself. "Don't take any time rushing to get back to Resembool, okay? Just make sure to call first when you head back."

It was torture.

"I'm great at keeping promises." Ivy firmly kept her right foot to the ground, refusing to let it budge. "I'll keep calling right up until we can finally meet up again."

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

And here's Updated Chapter 8. Took a day or two to get to, but I finally did it! So I'm satisfied with myself, I'll probably be going back and looking at all of my currently ongoing stories and edit them quite a bit since I have the free time to write. I also did myself a favor a made a clearer outline of the plot in how AFG will be going. I already had an idea of how it would go from rereading the manga, but honestly writing down a blow by blow outline for the cast helps a lot in keeping the flow of the story going smoothly as well as updating/fixing the previously created chapters. Without it, it gets easier to lose passion for the project which I do not want. Fanfic is a great tool for writers. You get to write whatever you want and get responses from readers that can help you grow. Plus, you get practice finishing projects. I just make it a personal creed to update when I am able rather than at the rate/consistency readers want because Real Life sometimes doesn't allow me that luxury. So I'm honestly really happy that none of the readers for this story has begged me to hurry with uploading chapters.

I'll be updating chapter 9 soon and soon chapter 10 should be here. I'm not completely finished writing it and debating if I'll still try writing a super long chapter since it's already been so long since I last updated. So we'll have to wait and see for now!

If you're still reading this, I hope you liked the small changes.


	9. Kiss Kiss Fall in Introspection

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** With an anime loving best friend, Ivy has heard plenty about whatever show of the week they're into. But when she manages to cross the gate during an attempt to take a shortcut home, she finds herself in a frightening position. The main character in an Another World fanfiction trope; and with reluctance, she finds herself teaming up with the main characters to get back home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

**[;';]**

**Author's Note:** _Review replies at the end of the chapter__! And let us welcome mcdonald61nv, Forgetful Insanity, Adamantia13, Sp00kyT00ns, The Name is Greed, homelybiscuit to the family!_ So who ready for chapter 9? 'Cause I am. Not to mention how Ivy got herself one hell of an Oscar nomination. So let's give her some claps! I've been a bit busy with work-related things (looking for a new job sucks but I got this), so honestly writing this was very therapeutic since I wanted to finally have a shot writing a more Intimate Bonding Moment between Ivy and the Elrics and portray a more sibling-like relationship between them. So I hope you guys like it!

In this chapter, I make a reference to one of the FMAB OVAs so I hope you guys catch that. That aside, another thing I really enjoyed in writing this chapter were bits about _**automail**_. There's something almost poetic writing those scenes due to Ivy's developed interest in engineering and her observations of Winry's absolute enthusiasm for the practice. I think it rubbed off on her and rubbed off on me consequentially writing it. I think that's a great part about writing, especially once you really start getting your own writing style and perfecting character creation. You have to have that base for the character you've created obviously, but I think you really do need to leave room for your characters to grow and do your own studying and research to do so.

And that's Monika's Writing Tip of the Day! (Just Monika, btw.)

* * *

"You're looking like you're in a _chipper_ mood today." Edward said sarcastically, pausing writing in his diary-looking thing as Ivy collapsed with a huff on the couch across from the one he was sitting on.

Ivy stuck out her tongue. "You have no idea how hard it is to adjust to trying to jog in the big city when you get used to it in Resembool." _Or in Vallant which literally has sidewalks made for normies that can't drive._ Ivy stretched, irritated. Sidewalks seemed to be a rarity in Central, even if it was the nation's capital. Ivy wasn't sure what she was expecting considering the year in Amestris was 1914, all things considered. _Still never taking sidewalks for granted ever again._ "I miss jogging in Resembool, there's no assholes there."

Jogging around the Centralites had been a pain in its own right these past four days. Not to mention trying to not get ran over by cars since they were sharing the same running and driving space.

Alphonse chuckled, Edward instead commenting, "Trust me, Resembool has its fair share of assholes too."

"I know, I'm traveling with one."

In seconds, golden eyes flashed with the recognition that he was being shaded. "Hey!"

"She kinda has a point, Brother." Alphonse seemed to barely contain his chuckles, his glowing eyes closing into curved lines of glee. "You weren't really popular in school 'cause all the girls thought you were mean." Ivy could almost envision a smaller Edward yelling about girls having cooties.

"Not you too, Al!" Edward growled, tossing a pen cap that Alphonse dodged with ease. "Some brother you are! I'm a great person! Extremely generous and revered as the 'Alchemist that _really_ is for the people!' Remember those guys in Youswell?!"

Ivy peered forward with a smirk, "You know, Edo, real non-assholes don't brag about their nice deeds."

A blond eyebrow twitched, "I swear I am very close to kicking you out and sending you back to your room."

Ivy laughed in return, laying back down. "Sorry, Al your brother is sensitive. We gotta stop joking with 'em." She maturely ignored when she felt a balled piece of paper bounce off her high puff. "And I'll leave your room soon enough for breakfast." She sighed. _Pancakes, eggs, bacon…_ She practically hear Pinako's stove top crackling as she and Den rush up the porch steps.

_"Go let Winry know that breakfast is about ready and wash up!"_

_"Already on it!"_

The laughs and conversation while stuffing their faces, Den hungrily licking her jowls every time something delicious is in her eyesight. Someone eventually giving in and feeding her something while Pinako sighs that Den needs more discipline.

Ivy glanced over to the brothers before directing her gaze to her busted tennis shoes.

She'd been eating breakfast alone since her arrival to Central, Edward already fed by the time she got back. _And Al don't eat so I kinda don't wanna eat in front of him when he can't really enjoy anything…_ It wasn't if Edward and Alphonse weren't accommodating enough; hell they paid for her hotel fees and train ticket to even get to Central. _So I really can't complain. I just… I guess I really haven't been completely alone for a minute._

She lived with her mom back in Vallant, the two of them with their own harmonic routines. Then with Resembool, she seemed to be glued to the sides of a chill dog and her blonde, green bandana wearing owner. Resembool's grassy plains flashed in her mind followed by warm blue eyes.

_Okay, okay, Ivette you're just getting antsy because you haven't made any progress with that Stone thing._ Ivy felt another pang, sparing Edward another glance. He was focused on his diary-thing, scribbling. Even Alphonse was reading an alchemical document checked out from the library, both of them preferring to stay in the hotel for now as they awaited any kind of news from Sheska. Smartass or not, Edward and Alphonse were going to be doing the real work here.

…

Ivy pushed herself into an upright position, "Yo, Ed." The boy in question looked at her curiously. "Want me to have a look at your automail? Winry mentioned you sucked at maintenance and I told her I would look after it since she gave me some stuff to take care of it. It's about due for some oiling since it was a rush job."

Edward shrugged, indifferent. "I guess." Despite aforementioned indifference, Edward still set down his diary-thing.

"Hey, better now than Winry smacking you because your arm broke down from not taking care of it." Ivy chirped.

"That actually happened once." Ivy nodded, almost impressed by her accuracy. "But Brother got out of getting hurt because we bought Winry earrings." Alphonse added. "We did that twice, I think."

"You guys are devious."

"You get hit by one of her wrenches and try saying that again." Edward shuddered. "Besides, she already knew she was being bribed off! Winry isn't the pure angel you think she is, you know."

_Wrong!_ Ivy thought immediately. _Shut up, me._ Ivy scolded seconds after. "She's just dedicated to her work, that's all. Speaking of which, the tool kit." Standing up, Ivy paused and looked at Alphonse apologetically. "I'm not sure if I have enough oil to polish your all of your armor though… You might have to wait until I can afford to get more."

Alphonse raised a hand, "It's fine!" He said warmly. "My armor can take a lot and I did a lot of polishing before we left Granny's."

Ivy was sure a beam of light was gracing Alphonse's entire being. "OMG you're so _wholesome_." She muttered.

"What?" Alphonse tilted his head, curiously.

Ivy coughed, "Nothing!" She gave the boy a few pats on his metal head. "You're just really nice, that's all. I'm officially claiming you as my younger brother and demand that I be your favorite older sibling." She could barely feel Alphonse's body tense up and Ivy awkwardly removed her hand, but she tried to remain nonchalant. "Hear that, Ed? I'm coming for your title as 'Favorite by Default'."

"You know what-"

"Shh, Big Sis is gonna come back with her toolbox, aight?" Ivy giggled, skipping to the door. "Hello again." She waved slightly to Maria who was still waiting outside of the door, guarding them from whatever it was Edward and Alphonse needed to be protected from. Denny, on the other hand, was downstairs patiently awaiting to see when Sheska would call. Things had been slightly awkward between the three of them since Ivy's 'phone call' to her mother.

Maria smiled politely, "Off to run again?"

Ivy shook her head, "Nah, just getting my tool kit to do some maintenance for Ed." She replied, closing Edward and Alphonse's room door. "His mechanic told me he sucks at it, so I'm keeping a promise to take care of it for the time being. She's got a great arm for tool throwing."

Maria's eyes lit up curiously, "His mechanic is a woman?"

"Yep, she's 15!" Ivy answered with a small smile of her own. Amestris seemed to have a lot of working women. They definitely had the States beat with the Amestrian military already allowing women on the battlefield in good ole 1914 when it took Ivy's own country... whenever it was her history teacher said women were allowed on the battlefield. "And a total gearhead. She was the one who got me into automail engineering in the first place, actually. I got into a habit of watching her and her grandma work while I was in Resembool and she started 'subtly' dropping hints that she wanted me to get into it too. Surprise surprise, it worked." Ivy couldn't suppress her smile from getting wider as she remembered the first time she woke up to a book on automail next to her pillow. "Her work is pretty good, but I admit to totally having a bias. But I also admit to the fact that she was able to build a whole arm from scratch in three days, so do with that information with what you will."

Maria looked impressed, nodding approvingly. "It's a great skill to have, automail engineering." Ivy nodded as well as Maria continued on. "Amestris is definitely in no shortage of needing automail mechanics, so I hope you do continue on with your pursuits in the trade."

"I'm definitely trying." Despite Winry's handwriting being the literal death of her, Ivy still managed to read what notes she hadn't read that Winry gave her. She even checked out a few books to start making her own notes. "So getting in the practice that I can while I'm out here."

With a few more pleasant words exchanged, Ivy walked next door to her room to grab her toolbox. "And I'm back, fellas." She announced enthusiastically shoving her way back into their room. "Let, Big Sis, check out that arm."

Edward complied with an eye roll, taking his jacket off. With the exception of his red cloak and the red grooves of his boot, all of Edward's clothes were black. "You know, I didn't expect you to be a goth." Ivy hummed. _Hi, my name is Edward Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way…_ How Ivy was able to stop herself from choking from laughter, she doesn't know. "You seem like a more 'brightly colored attire' person."

"A goth?"

"Uh, they're stereotyped to wear a lot of black where I come from." Ivy explained awkwardly. "Let's just leave it at that."

"Black clothes don't show the oil stains like light colored clothes do." Edward replied, giving his shoulder joint a few flexes. "It isn't like I'm a huge fan of wearing the color black but I got tired of tossing out clothes every time I oiled my arm and leg. We were just at this city called Liore not too long ago, nothing but desert and I was miserable the entire time." The blond shuddered as memories overtook him. "I thought I was gonna die there."

Ivy winced, "Get your limbs back, dude."

"What do you think I've been doing the past three years?" Edward chuckled, taking his right glove off. He wiggled his fingers. "They feel a bit stiff."

Alphonse left his bed to sit beside his brother. "I guess Ivy's mechanic instinct really came through, huh?"

Edward snorted but he seemed more amused than annoyed, "That's a word for it." He gave his fingers another scrunch. "Gearheads just seem to follow us no matter what happens."

Ivy rolled her eyes as she put on the craftsman's gloves stored away in her toolbox. "Yeah yeah, I've been hit by the Rockbell Enthusiasm Curse. Sue me." Tentatively, she held Edward's wrist and gave it a few light jiggles. The scraping sounded drier than her aunt's edges. _Winry said she wasn't able to oil this as much as she wanted to thanks to the rush job._ "The hand is usually what's gonna need more maintenance than the rest of the arm when it comes to automail, especially since oil coating is lighter in those areas. How's the elbow feeling?"

"It feels pretty good to me." Edward noted.

_Then light oil, I think?_

_"Don't rush."_ Pinako's voice rasped in Ivy's mind as she fiddled with the fingers in a small wave passing motion to test the flexibility. _"Always be delicate even during maintenance. That's right, test each limb slowly to see any imperfections."_

_I guess I learned a lot in that month._ With a small smile, Ivy grabbed the oil tin. "This really is a fine arm, you know." Her voice came out more in awe than she intended as she observed the smooth cool gray gradient of the steel. "Especially considering the fact she made this in three days. I can't imagine ever making automail that fast." Yet Winry powered on as Ivy watched and listened to Winry's babbling about what she was doing at each turn.

_"So see the cords? I'm using a thicker sleeve to protect them."_ A glove covered hand pointed to said cords dangling from the hand and wrist joints. _"Ed's never really been one for maintenance and you're supposed to wipe it off after baths, but the idiot never does it properly. So thicker cord protecting sleeves are better to help protect the wires and make them more resistant."_

The frame was modeled to be as slim yet muscular as Edward's flesh arm and the plating's three slits spaced evenly to prevent overheating. Over all, with the gloves and jacket- the arm was finely made to the point you honestly wouldn't be able to guess Edward even had automail if you couldn't hear the creaking.

"You really admire her work, huh?" Alphonse's warm voice broke Ivy from her thoughts.

_I mean, that's half the truth._ Ivy coughed inwardly. "Yeah, of course. I gotta long way to go if I wanna be able to bring this knowledge back to Vallant with me. And Winry's pretty up there, she's been doing this forever." And she spent day after day making prototypes for her automail prosthetics she wanted to one day bring to Rush Valley, like Cyndi Lauper running away from home at 17 to pursue music. It was that passion that Ivy was attracted to, at least one of the aspects of Winry she was attracted to. Automail wasn't just cool prosthetic creations. Watching Winry work three days total to finish Edward's arm and observing it now in maintenance, Ivy understood that a bit better.

"Like we said before, Ivy you could always go back to Resembool and continue your training with Granny and Winry while Brother and I look for the Philosopher's Stone." Ivy looked up from her work of oiling Edward's finger joints and at the younger Elric. "We know that you call them a lot to let them know your progress."

_Every damn day._ Ivy thought.

"Every damn day like clockward." Edward said verbally as if he were reading her thoughts. "Besides, you're definitely not gonna shake up the prosthetic world of Vallant sticking with us, you know. We know nothing about automail and it's obvious you miss being in Resembool."

Ivy tried to smile, but she was sure it didn't reach her eyes. "Like I said before, I gotta be a lot more dedicated in trying to get home. So I'll just do what I can from a distance with all this note taking and just messing around with your arm." She had already wasted a month waiting for the two brothers to even show up in Resembool to begin with. That was too much time already. Besides, being around Winry was too dangerous. "I'll stay put and help out here."

"As if you're gonna be any help at all." Despite the harsh words, Edward's told held no bite. "You're not an alchemist. You'd be a lot more useful being a secondary mechanic."

"..." Ivy wiggled one of Edward's fingers. "Are you trying to awkwardly encourage my grease monkey developments or insult me? I'm not sure if I should be offended or if my lack of offense is because I haven't eaten breakfast yet."

Edward scowled, "Obviously it's an insult!"

"Okay, Oldest Little Brother, I hear you loud and clear." Ivy chuckled. "How's the fingers I've oiled so far doing?"

"Better."

"Good."

There was a pause.

"Thanks for trying to be supportive, guys, I appreciate it." Ivy grumbled. "I know I'm not gonna be the most useful asset right now because I really don't know alchemy, but I do wanna give it a good shot trying to help before running back to Resembool and letting you do all the work."

Edward didn't respond, glancing off to the side. Alphonse rested a large hand on Ivy's shoulder. Ivy continued her work oiling the last two fingers of Edward's hand so she could move on to his wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints.

After a while, Ivy finally ended the tense yet somewhat comforting silence with a "Anyone wanna bet on Sheska having those notes ready in the next couple of days?"

This time, Edward snorted, "How are you gonna bet with no money, Ivy?"

Ironically enough, Denny came rushing in Edward and Alphonse's room happily exclaiming that Sheska finished transcribing the notes that morning.

Five uneven large stacks of paper written in five days. Ivy could have crapped her pants as her jaw lie agape as she stared at Sheska's work.

Then the woman, bless her damn heart, actually had the nerve to modestly say "Sorry it took so long, but there was so much material that it took me five days to write it down." Smiling bashfully, she proudly gestured to her transcriptions. "But, here you go! Tim Marcoh's research notes to the letter!"

Ivy had to whistle, crossing her arms. "Honestly, I thought it was gonna take longer than this so you beat my expectations out of the park."

"There truly are some amazing people in the world, huh, Al…?" Edward stammered gaping.

"There really are!" Alphonse agreed, leaning towards the stacks. "Now it makes sense too. Dr. Marcoh couldn't run away with his notes because of the sheer volume of material."

_Then this Marcoh guy had a lot of time on his hands._

Edward was grinning, "And you're absolutely sure these are all of his notes?"

Sheska nodded with a large smile, the happiest the girl had ever seen her. "Without a doubt, these are all of the pages from Tim Marcoh's 1000 Meals for Daily Living!"

Ivy was sure she nearly had a stroke. _You've got to be kidding me, a mislead again!?_

Even Maria and Denny believed so, as they grabbed a few pages. "A tablespoon of sugar with a few drops of water…" Maria's eyes narrowed. "This really is just a bunch of recipes."

"No offense, ma'am, but what made you think this was an important document?" Denny frowned.

_Yeah no kidding?_ Ivy grimaced as she looked at a recipe for the Perfect Scrambled Eggs as Sheska stuttered in the background. Maybe this was the universe dishing out signs that she really did need to head back to Resembool because she was going to be stuck in Amestris for a while. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad either. _Ed and Al are okay with-_

"You're _amazing_, Sheska." Ivy saw Edward hunched over a particular set of pages, absolutely gleaming. "Thanks a lot. Come on, let's get these back to the main library and start doing some research! We can use their reference books, Al. Ivy you grab something too."

"Y-yeah…" Ivy blinked. "Did I miss something?"

Alphonse shook his head, "These are definitely the right notes!"

* * *

"So explain to me how these are the right notes?" Ivy asked, back sore. They managed to finally get to the library, retreating into a private room meant for military alchemists. "'Cause the last time I checked, alchemical documents and cookbooks don't belong in the same ballpark."

Alphonse made quick work of scouring books for references as Edward began setting out pages. "Oh that?" Edward was a million miles away. "Well, long story version... when it comes to alchemists, there's this motto. 'Alchemists work for the people'. But for State Alchemists, it's the opposite. So we have an obligation to keep our trade secrets out the public arena."

Denny wrapped a hand around his chin thoughtfully. "I see… you wouldn't want your knowledge to fall into the wrong hands."

"You got it. Which is why, to keep that from happening…" Edward held up a small stack of papers. We alchemists keep our notes in code."

"Nice dramatic pause, Edward."

"Oh shut up or I'll stop explaining this to you." Edward glared before continuing his explanation. "_Anyway_. This might look like a normal recipe book to most people… but in reality, it is a high-level alchemical document written in a code known only to the person who wrote it."

"So you guys just take your notes and make it a secret code. Why not use some made up lettering system or something?" Ivy skimmed over a recipe that called for peppermint chips. "Wouldn't that be cooler?" Or at least easier to make instead of wondering what ordinary thing you could make a marker for your notes.

"It's not really about being cool. Besides, that kind of thing is easy to decrypt." Alphonse called out. "So something like this is better since you could show it to someone without worrying about them stealing your notes. Having a secret writing system and making it hard to access for others may make them suspect there's important data in your notes."

Honestly, that's pretty damn smart when you think about it. Ivy bit her lip. I wonder if engineers do that? Winry certainly didn't. It briefly crossed Ivy's mind that maybe the notes that weren't in a weird code were just the notes Winry was okay with other engineers seeing. _Definitely gotta ask when I call._

The Sergeant still looked a bit unconvinced."But if only one person knows the code, how can you hope to decipher it?" He mostly seemed to be asking himself. "This alchemist stuff sounds really complicated to me."

"Who are you telling?" Ivy scoffed. "I ask them a simple question and they gave me an essay in response."

Edward rolled his eyes, "We're gonna figure it out with knowledge, inspiration, patience, and a good old-fashioned hard work."His eyes glinted playfully in Ivy's direction. "And with Ivy reviewing all the essays we're going to be making."

"I don't like you." Ivy growled. "Make your bodyguards do that."

Denny sputtered a polite objection, until Alphonse interrupted helpfully as brought over a 'small' stack of six books. "These notes might be easier to decipher because they're disguised as a recipe book. After all, some people say that alchemy originated in the kitchen." Ivy doubted to see anyway alchemy originated because someone got too creative with adding spice to their gumbo pot, but she let Alphonse continue. "Brother logs his research notes in the guise of a travelogue, so when I read it I can't make heads or tails out of it."

"You mean the diary thing he was writing in yesterday?"

"It's not a diary!" Edward snapped. "They're important alchemical research notes. I like using my recent travels for said notes. It's easy to keep track of since we're always moving around a lot..." He trailed off, skimming the page he was holding onto before gasping. "Al, there's a section in here on green tea!"

Alphonse was positively beaming."Green tea? Are you thinking what I am?"

Edward beamed right back, eyes brightening."Uh huh. It might be a reference to the Green Lion of Metallurgic Alchemy." He glanced over to the most recent books Alphonse added to their reference collection. "Do we have copies available on Flamel's Codex or Lambspring's Concerning the Philosopher's Stone?"

"Of course!" Alphonse sounded as if he almost offended his brother would think otherwise.

"And take a look at this here." Alphonse leaned to wherever Edward was pointing. "And here to you see."

"Yeah, you're right. And maybe here too!"

"Great! We've got a place to start, let's do this!"

_I feel sick just seeing them nerd out._ Ivy sighed as the brothers focused on. "Well, I guess I'll leave them to it and do my own research back at the hotel. I'm not really gonna be useful just sticking around here."

There was no response from either of them. "Have a safe walk back, Miss." Denny offered sheepishly.

Ivy grinned, "They're both nerds, so I'm not surprised they're laser focused." They waited a while for these notes, after all. The notes that would contain information about what was needed for them to get their bodies back and for Ivy to find her way back home. She closed a hand into a tight fist. _So I need to hurry up and get better with automail maintenance so I can actually be useful here too._

* * *

**Comment Response:**

**HogwartsGraduate:** I couldn't resist dropping in those Spiderverse references, loved the movie so much I actually bought a physical copy of the DVD. 10/10. And thanks for liking Ivy's attraction to Winry! Originally, she wasn't supposed to have a love interest in her side of the story but Ivy and Winry had such good chemistry I just had to go '... You know what, let's go all the way!'

**homelybiscuit:** Ohohohohoho, the Homunculi will play a part in Ivy and Akasha's story. Akasha's story [Swept Away] has a much slower update schedule due to the fact that I'm going to eventually have the two girls meet up in Amestris, but hers will have a lot more Homunculi action towards a certain part of the story.

**J:** She honestly deserves an Oscar, someone get my child an Oscar! Thanks for being a consistent reviewer, I love seeing the familiar names popping up!


	10. And Then There was Hughes

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** Ivy has it rough. She's no anime fan or FMA fan. But when she somehow crosses the gate, she finds herself in the worst possible position: a protagonist of an Another World fic trope. And between the alchemy, automail, lack of plot knowledge, and struggling with her attraction to a pretty blonde mechanic, Ivy reluctantly teams up with the main characters in her journey to get home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

"I'm serious! A soft iron core would be a way better option for the frame!" Ivy spun her pen lightly, neck sore from the phone booth telephone balanced between her neck and shoulder. "Think about it, the magnetism could help with keeping the wires in place. So we could ditch the sleeves" It made total sense. The protective sleeves aside, the wires and cords were metal; metal wires and cords could be magnetic. Therefore, in the budding engineer's opinion, pinning the wires were irrelevant when you could substitute it out for something that wouldn't take up as much space.

Ivy's reasoning only served to cause the blonde and blue-eyed engineer on the other side of the phone call to sigh in exasperation. "For the last time, _no_."

This had been the norm for the past week since Edward and Alphonse obtained their notes from Sheska.

The two of them went to work everyday in decoding and Ivy did her best to try and scramble up a design for an arm. Reading notes and texts alone, however, had proven lackluster. So calling the Rockbells everyday for advice became the girl's new hobby. Specifically in a phone booth not too far from the Main Branch Library since she couldn't hog the hotel phone to her heart's content without gaining stank eyes and warnings that other guests needed to use the phone.

"It could totally work if you tried hard enough." Ivy rolled her eyes. I_ mean, I walked through a stone gate and stumbled upon the multiverse like I'm a female Miles Morales. Anything is possible at this point._ "You just don't wanna admit that I came up with a better idea than wasting money on all those pins. So you should let me try out my hypothesis with Ed's arm."

"No way!" Winry exclaimed as if that was the most unreasonable thing she heard all day. "The steel in Ed's arm isn't even soft iron! It's 1% carbon and the wires stay in place just fine even with the pins. I gave you notes on his arm for this, you already _know_ this!" The girl sighed. "Besides, the sleeves would get in the way of magnetizing anything. The sleeves needed for _protection_." The blonde really emphasized the final word in her sentence.

"Okay, so I might have been trying to pull your leg about messing with Ed's arm." Ivy snickered. Edward wouldn't let Ivy fiddle with his arm on a good day, let alone in the middle of something so important. "_Besides_. Nothing like a soft debate on automail with a dear friend." _100% nothing but 'dear friend', in fact._ Ivy hummed as she leaned against a glass wall, it was an uncomfortable fit. "I don't want this arm I'm coming up with to be clunky, so I thought it would be space efficient to ditch pinning."

"I still don't know how you're expecting to make one right now." Winry sighed again. "I know I gave you a toolbox but that's really just for light maintenance, it doesn't have all the tools needed for making automail." She paused with a quiet 'ah' for a few moments. There had been another order for traditional limbs for the soldiers in West Amestris and Winry had been hard at work for the past few days. "Not to mention that the pins are so small, I don't think that it'd really take much space."

"Hey, I am but a humble beginner trying to hone my craft." The athlete protested weakly. "And I'm planning on getting actual automail making tools eventually." She added.

Winry honed in on that last sentence, "What do you mean?"

Ivy thought over her next words carefully."Well, I was thinking that once Ed and Al got their notes decrypted, I could convince them to head back over to Resembool for some kind of celebration, y'know? And then I could really start going ham on this automail thing." _At least for a little while in-person so I can get it down._ Ivy told herself. _They're gonna head back to Resembool eventually anyways, so it's fine to go back!_

They'd get their secrets on the Philosopher's Stone, sure, but Ivy was sure it wasn't like they'd immediately have the resources to make the thing. The notes were a recipe book, so maybe it actually had to be cooked up in a kitchen. Potentially, the Rockbell's kitchen. And while she was there, Ivy would be able to get the hands on training she really needed to construct her creation. Something as grandiose as this Stone more than likely couldn't be made in the span of one hour, right? Right.

So she'd have the time to learn about constructing automail pieces, then she could take that knowledge back home with her.

"Really?! Winry breathed. It was so quiet between them that even a pen dropping would be audible.

"Yep!" Ivy forced herself to grin as she pushed down any guilt she had festering in her chest. It wasn't procrastinating the inevitable if it would actually take Edward and Alphonse a while to construct the Stone. She couldn't just rush the process. So staying with Rockbells a little longer would be fine. "I thought it would be nice to head back at the same time. They can bore us with their alchemy, we can make some awesome automail…" Ivy trailed off.

A loud 'yay' on Winry's side of the line sounded more like a screech in her ear, but Ivy couldn't stop herself from smiling genuinely this time. "I can't believe you're coming back soon!"

"Just don't go getting too excited and start trying to get an arm frame made in preparation for my arrival." Ivy chuckled. It was easy to imagine Winry hanging up and doing exactly that without being reigned in by reality. "I have no idea when those two are gonna finish up their note decrypting. They've been at it all week. I think I saw Ed toss a crumpled paper at a wall right before I left the room. So it could take a while."

"I can wait!" Winry sang, a loud clunk in the background sounding like a tool of some sort. "We're gonna build automail together!"

It felt like something was grasping Ivy's chest painfully. "Y-yeah!" Ivy coughed out. "But it's gonna take a while for me to catch up to you, you know. Ed's arm is really nice."

Winry laughed sounding bashful. "You really think so?"

"I was just gushing about it the other day." Ivy reassured her. As much pride Winry had in her work, she had her points of bashfulness when it came to genuine compliments. "The jerk won't let me touch it unless it's for maintenance reasons though, which isn't everyday so I don't even get to study it. But I maintain my previous observations. It's a flawless piece of work."

"... Yeah, _flawless_." Winry chuckled nervously.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Nothing!" Winry exclaimed quickly. A little too quickly. "Just- I think Ed's arm could still be improved." The blonde said at last once she had calmed her voice. "I want to figure out how to make it lighter without compromising its strength. Maybe I should have the steel tempered differently? He's always getting into fights too, so the metals being weaker would be-"

Ivy's laughter halted Winry's rambling. "Winry, I think you're overthinking it. Besides, he's getting his real body back, right? You won't have to worry about that soon enough."

Winry groaned, "Don't remind me." Winry paused her incoming rant with a 'And done'. "My practice is really gonna slow down if he isn't constantly breaking my automail anymore. Don't tell him I said that." The blonde immediately added afterwards. "He'll take it as an excuse for me to not get mad when he breaks it."

"My lips are sealed." Ivy vowed. "You'll get new clients. Milk a trip to Rush Valley out of him and get all the practice you want there." From what Pinako had said in her few storytimes about the city, practice would definitely be endless over there. "I can only imagine the trends."

That _wrenched_ a laugh out of Winry immediately. "I should!" Laughter came tumbling from Ivy's throat moments later.

The holy land of automail engineering, where everyone ate, breathed, and slept automail. Pinako had described the place to be so crazy that anyone with even a dent in their automail could expect a swarm of hungry engineers throwing prices at the unsuspecting victim's face.

Edward would hate it.

Yet Ivy was sure that would make the trip for Winry all the more satisfying. It could be a date.

With that thought, Ivy's laughing came to a slow halt.

It _could_ be a date.

Just that it would be a date for _Edward_ and Winry.

Ivy's teeth ground against each other against her better nature. _Hey hey hey, you ain't got nothing to be jealous about._ Ivy shuffled her the soles of her feet, focusing on their ache rather than the one from her heart. _Nothing at all. Be supportive. This girl is 100% a 'dear friend'._ "You guys could have a fun time together. Well, you will at least. You and your boyfriend, Edboy."

"You can't be serious."

"What?" Ivy hoped her tone sounded happy and teasing in contrast to Winry's tone of disbelief. "You're totally crushing on each other right?"

_"Ew!"_ Ivy scrambled to pull the phone further away from her ear, Winry retching all the while. "You've been thinking that this entire time?!"

Ivy blinked, biting her lip. "Umm…" Maybe she poked at an egg that wasn't ready to hatch yet? Akasha did say that Winry and Edward married eventually at some point, so it couldn't be that far off from the truth. "In my defense, childhood romance is very common this time of year?"

Winry only groaned in frustration. "I can't believe you, he's like a little brother to me!" She muttered a few words under her breath that Ivy couldn't quite pick out. "So as if I'd ever crush on him, that would be too weird. Same for Al too. I can't see it." There was a pause followed by more retching sounds. _"Eww I just tried imagining it again!_ No no, it definitely isn't going to happen." Winry insisted once her retching had ended. "Besides, Ed and Al would just complain the entire time. Well, maybe not Al but Ed definitely would. I wanted to just go with you."

Ivy coughed to cover up a sudden gasp, heart beating a million times per second. "O-oh. Really?"

"Of course!" Winry's disgust evaporated and her voice sounded warmer. "I want us to go together and see every shop we've ever spotted in the catalogue. We don't need the boys for that."

The universe seriously just wanted to torture Ivy.

"Gosh, just thinking about it has me so excited! Of course, we have to check out God's Studio first. I've loved their automail since Granny first showed me their page in her old catalogues! And definitely Richardson & Co. Studio too! The Rush Valley branch has amazing work but their northern automail branch? I wonder if they have any notes about it…"

Ivy zoned out midway through the rant, biting her bottom lip. _This is very bad._ Ivy cursed. She couldn't even enjoy the companionship of some girl without catching feelings for her, knowing that she could be leaving at any point in time. _I mean, you been missin' for over a month now. _Came the sly reply._ So so what if you end up staying a little extra time to go to Rush Valley. It ain't gon' make no difference._

**_I mean._**

"Ivy? Are you still there?" Winry's concerned tone dragged Ivy from her inner dispute.

"Oh uh, yeah. Sorry. Was just thinkin'." Ivy coughed, pushing her back harder against the glass. _This is just a dear friend, alright?_ "I wanna go to Rush Valley together too. Let's rip some tips and tricks straight from every studio we encounter and make great automail." _At least for a little while._

Winry's worried tone vanished. "Oh, I hope that the engineers there can tell us about where they get their metals and ore!"

"Oh, speaking of which, has that new catalogue arri-"

Frantic knocking interrupted mid-sentence and Ivy jumped with a start into a normal standing position and looked to her left to see a man impatiently tapping his watch. 'Hurry up', he mouthed. The girl gave him a nervous smile and thumbs up. "Uh, Winry, I gotta go. I've been hogging the phone booth for a while now, so I'll head back into the library." She began shuffling her papers and pen neatly into the hardcover book she had brought with her from the hotel.

"Okay." Disappointment tinged the girl's reply. "I guess we can talk later. Granny's probably gonna want me to get off the phone now too just in case we get calls from someone else."

"Definitely. I'll try and call later tonight if I can. Promise" Ivy reassured, before they hung up at last. _My neck hates me so much._ Grimacing, Ivy massaged the meeting point between her neck and shoulder before shifting her way out to booth. "Sorry." She mumbled but the man let out a gruff 'bah'.

At least she got to apologize, Ivy relented as she welcomed the warm breeze and fresh air.

Ivy could vividly hear the hustle and bustle of the streets, people chatting rapidly. She steered more to the right as a horse-drawn carriage passed her. Not too far off, a car honked with its driver screeching a nasty 'get out the way!' Buildings were colorful creams and reds and browns, the old timey Berlin vibes reminding her of the photos in her world economics textbook.

_Geez this place is huge._ Ivy whistled, kicking a stray pebble. Akasha had never gone in-depth about the locations of Amestris, not that Ivy had ever asked, but Ivy was sure Central would be Akasha's favorite place to visit. The library and it's alchemical textbooks would give the girl a rush of excitement. Maybe not as big of a rush as talking to Edward but still, the alchemy. It was the only reason Akasha took chemistry for her elective, Ivy selecting biology instead.

_Akasha would probably throw all of her manga at my face if she knew I was here right now._ Ivy inhaled deeply as she passed a bakery, the fresh bread smell wafting tantalizingly in the air. _I'm not sure what I'd even tell her. Hey I ended up in your fav anime series but don't worry, me and Ed did nothing._ The thought alone made Ivy want to gag.

When the Main Branch Library came into view, Ivy sighed.

_I'll just… remember this all for her and tell her what I did,_ she concluded.

_"Just throw on the show and I can point out all the places I visited, aight?"_ Ivy would tell her best friend. _"So there was this great bread place-"_ Ivy nodded firmly to herself, halfway through the steps. _"Also, guess who learned how to make automail? Lemme show you how it's done, alchemy nerd."_

"Welcome back, Miss Carter." Denny said from his and Maria's post in front of the room Edward and Alphonse had locked themselves in. "Did your call with your teacher go well?"

Ivy smiled pleasantly, "it was more like a fun debate call with a friend." She said lightly. "Apparently my idea was baseless in its argument so I lost. Edward and Alphonse make any breakthroughs while I was gone?"

"Not at all." Maria deadpanned.

"Color me unsurprised." Ivy sighed as she stepped inside. "I'm back, guys. Tough luck?"

Edward replied in kind by slumping over the table and mass of crumpled papers in front of him. "I just don't get why he had to make this encryption so damn hard to figure out." The blond moaned. "This is just cooking materials this shouldn't be so hard! This is alchemy's origin and nothing I've ever read has been this difficult!"

"Why don't we just ask Marcoh directly, Brother?" Alphonse whimpered, the horn on his head piercing through the table.

_This is honestly the most depressing scene I've ever come across._ Ivy thought as she took a seat in front of the small stack of books she had taken from the small section dedicated to automail.

"No way!" Edward growled, shooting back up. "That would be admitting defeat! I see this as Marcoh's challenge! It's like he's saying," Edward cleared his throat before making himself sound like an old man. "'Those who can't even break this simple code have no right to know the truth!'" He huffed, voice going back to normal. "We're deciphering this on our own no matter what!"

"You guys sincerely make me happy I chose the easier subject to get interested in." Ivy shook her head. "Don't worry, Al-poo, you got this." She said, reaching over to pat his head briefly.

"How come Al is always the one that gets the words of encouragement?" Edward grumbled.

"'Cause he's the cute brother, you're the one I fight with over shampoo."

"Oh shut up." Edward snapped and Alphonse chuckled.

Ivy readied herself to quip again with a quiet 'um' cut through the air. Ivy looked over her shoulder and was met to the familiar sight of a woman with brown hair and large square glasses. "Oh hey, you." Ivy smiled with a wave.

Sheska bowed politely, "I'd heard you would all be here…" She stepped forward to the table and bowed once again. "Thanks to you, Mr. Edward, I was able to transfer my mother to an excellent hospital. I really don't know how to thank you."

"No sweat." Edward waved a hand. "It was nothing."

Ivy couldn't stop herself from grinning and giving Edward a pat on the back, her earlier feelings of jealousy forgotten. Edward smiled back. For once, no salty quips and sarcastic words were being exchanged between them.

"I just feel bad about accepting so much money."

Edward waved his hand again. "You don't need to worry about that at all." He sighed, gold eyes glancing over the documents. "I got off _cheap_ compared to what the secret contained in this is data is worth."

"I see." Sheska's expression was thoughtful as she looked over the messy stacks and crumpled balls of paper herself. "So those aren't just recipes…." She looked back at Edward and Alphonse. "So how's your deciphering coming along?"

The amount of gloom that suddenly filled the room was suffocating.

"What about you?" Alphonse asked, more than happy to deflect the question. "Have you found a job yet?"

Ivy could have cried from how depressing and gloomy the atmosphere got as Sheska's smile fell immediately, head drooping over.

_If this is what my 20s are gonna be like, I think I just wanna stay a teen forever._ Ivy grimaced. Maybe automail would give her an advantage as a kid genius and she'd be set for life and never have to work a day in her life.

"_I'd_ better go." Sheska bowed with a forced smile. The smile of an adult down on their luck. "Thank you so much again for everything."

Edward nodded, "no problem. Don't worry about the money."

"It's not just the money…" Sheska replied with a small smile. "It's just… it makes me so happy that a nobody like me, who's never been good at anything, was able to help out. Thank you."

"You're not a nobody, Sheska." Alphonse said quickly, sitting properly himself. "I think being so passionate about something is a talent in itself. Not to mention with that amazing memory of yours, I'm sure you're going to be just fine."

"Al's right." Ivy added. "Us girls gotta be strong, Sheska. You need to eat, breathe, sleep, and _sweat_ self-esteem!" She raised a fist of solidarity in the air hoping she sounded exactly like Angelica's mom from the Rugrats. "That's rule number 1 of being a badass and if you can do all this transcribing with ease, you're already on your way to being there!"

Sheska's smile grew, "thank you!"

"Yo!" Another voice cut in suddenly, Ivy jerking in surprise as she saw another person with glasses cheerily enter the room. The man had black hair and green eyes, dressed in the same blue uniform as Denny and Maria.

"Lieutenant Colonel Hughes?" Ivy was grateful that Edward said the man's name aloud. "What are you doing here?"

Hughes grinned as he took a seat comfortably in the chair beside Ivy. "I heard from the Major that you'd be here. I told you guys to give me a call if you were ever in Central!"

"Yeah, we've been kinda busy ever since we got here."

"I know what you mean! I've been so swamped lately, I haven't been able to leave the office." Hughes looked over at Ivy, giving her a friendly nod. "Is this a girlfriend?"

Ivy wanted to retch. "Oh God no."

"That's just gross!" Edward snapped himself. "This is just Ivy Carter, she's a friend."

Ivy rolled her eyes, "I prefer the term, Loving Older Sister." She corrected. Edward only raised an eyebrow with an annoyed look on his face. "Ivy, born and raised Centralite." She smiled politely at Hughes, hoping that would be enough and would cease any questions about her origins. "I just bother Edward about his automail sometimes."

"Oh an engineer!" Hughes clasped a large hand around one of Ivy's and gave it a firm handshake. "You look like you have a good head on your shoulders, so I hope you look out for the brothers."

"Of course!"

Edward brought the conversation back to the one previously engaged, "so you said that you've been busy?"

"Ah yeah." Hughes sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "There's been so many incidents lately the court martial office that I'm in charge of has been really bustling. And we still haven't closed the Tucker case."

Edward's face fell almost immediately while Alphonse looked down at the desk. Both brothers were quiet.

_Guys?_

"... Sorry, didn't mean to bring up a sore subject."

"It's fine." Alphonse reassured the man. Ivy was sure that if he were able, the boy would be giving a polite smile. "You were really able to take the time to visit us?"

"Oh, nah." The lieutenant colonel snorted. "I'm just on break so I thought I should drop by and say high but I've gotta get back to work in a minute. It's just been pretty difficult with the First Branch Library burning down. Sheesh, they're working this old man to death."

Ivy perked up at that. "The First Branch?" Edward repeated.

"Yeah, it was close to the court martial office so we used to store records. Incident logs, list of names, that sort of thing. As you can imagine, we've really slowed down thanks to the fire."

"Hmmm…" Edward hummed.

Ivy's brown eyes immediately dashed to Sheska, Edward and Alphonse clearly thinking the same.

Sheska blinked once. "W-well it is true that I did read the military criminal records and of course remember them but-"

"What do you think Lieutenant Colonel?" Edward interrupted with a grin. "We're trying to find her a job?"

"What?" Hughes stood up, chair moving abruptly. "This little girl has this sort of amazing talent?! This can really help us out!" The tall man quickly made his way to Sheska's side. "Let's get the paperwork out of the way right now! We're gonna give you a great salary!"

The woman didn't stand a chance, being dragged off by her new employer before Ivy could blink. "Y-you guys!" Sheska called out. "Thank you so much! I'm going to be more confident in myself and try my hardest!" Ivy couldn't hold back a smile despite the crazy circumstances that brought Sheska to her new career. "Thank you so much for everything!"

"Good luck!" Ivy called back. "Nice meeting you, Mr. Hughes!"

"We'll get to talk again later, Ivy!" Hughes guffawed.

"He looks like a kidnapper." Edward snickered. "That's Hughes for you."

Ivy slouched happily in her chair, "he seems like a nice man to me."

"He is." Alphonse chuckled. "He's always looking out for me and my brother. So you can depend on him for sure if you ever need any help."

"Hopefully I never get into the sort of trouble that requires me to ask the military for assistance." Ivy said nervously. It was still anxiety-inducing enough for Maria and Denny to be around as 24/7 bodyguards. "Still, I'm glad Sheska was able to get a job. Adulting sounds pretty rough."

Edward elbowed his brother playfully, "'being so passionate about something is a talent in itself', huh? Pretty smooth, little brother."

"It reminds me of a _certain somebody_ I know." Alphonse said, sounding fondly exasperated.

Ivy briefly considered breaking in and jokingly saying Alphonse was referring to her, but she couldn't bring herself to break the moment. Instead, she opened one of her books as Edward mentioned that they should get back to deciphering. "And I'm gonna go back to reading my research material. You'd be surprised how many different metals go into automail creation. For instance, aluminum-"

"Deciphering notes!"

"Oh come on, it wasn't going to take me that long to explain!"

* * *

Maes Hughes released a loud and content sigh.

It had only been a few days and somehow, life had seemed sunnier. Almost as warm as the beautiful spring day he and Gracia had gotten married, April 3rd to be precise. All thanks to Sheska. "If I had known her existed before," Hughes started to himself as he thumbed through the family registries Sheska had transcribed thus far. "I would have hired her on the spot during one of my visits to the First Branch." He chuckled to himself as finished looking through the B's.

It wasn't as if everything had managed to be fixed yet, but Hughes was well on his way to spending more time with Gracia and Elysia again.

Lately, he'd only been coming home well after they had gone asleep and would have to sleep well before they would wake up.

_And if I have to go one more week like this, I'm rioting!_ Hughes sipped his coffee. Amestris' court martial office be damned, he was a family man first.

He continued onto the C's and he wanted to cry happily as he heard the clickity clackity sound of Sheska's typewriter. The man was easily able to clear through the several families that shared the surname Canning.

The Carolines.

The Cerfas.

The Channings.

The Charles.

The Christs...

...

Hughes' eyes scanned through the 'Ca's once again.

Cahns.

Cananis.

Canning.

Caroline.

Cerfas...

He remembered the smiling brown face from before in the Main Branch as Edward introduced her. Ivy Carter. _"Born and raised Centralite."_ She had added on.

_Then surely her family should be here._ "Hey Sheska!" The man stood up and walking outside of his office at his newhire.

"Y-yes, sir?" Sheska coughed, pausing her typing.

"You messed up here in the C's. You missed the Carters." Hughes leaned over, pointing a finger between the Carolines and Cerfas. "The Carters should be somewhere around here."

Sheska blinked owlishly then her expression turned to confusion. "I-I made a mistake already?! But I copied down everything I remembered reading!" She chirped, eyes scanning over the paper desperately. "I could have sworn this was how it was written in the library records!"

Hughes paused.

"You're sure?"

"Very sure, sir!" Sheska answered, though her tone was nervous. "I'm really sorry if I messed up..."

Hughes placed a hand on Sheska's right shoulder with a big grin. "It isn't you, it's just me getting old. You're doing a great job, kid! Keep up the good work!"

That calmed the girl considerably as she returned his grin with a smile of her own. "Thank you, sir!"

Hughes turned back around into his office.

Sheska never saw how his grin turned into a deep grimace.

There was a reason Ivy Carter and the Carter family wasn't on this list.

Ivy Carter and the Carter family didn't exist.

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

And after 84 years…. The author finally updates. And with a cliffhanger! Muwahahahahaaaa!

I'm really sorry it took so long! Between the moods to not write to just distracting myself with other projects, AFD kinda got put on a temporary hiatus. Hell, every time I opened the file on Google, I felt the urge to do more non-linear writing instead of add anything to the CH10 doc. But I am back and back to stay, y'all, I'm determined to finish this story and nothing is gonna stop me from completing the 'FMA Sister Stories' project. And yeah, this is a more normal length chapter, extremely long winded chapters just aren't my thing.

As always, anything related to automail is something fun for me and I really love the sibling-like relationship Ivy has with the Elrics. I read a lot of 'FMA fan goes to Amestris' OC fics in middle school and almost always they were romantically centered with usually Ed, and occasionally Al. Admittedly, AFD originally was when I wrote it in middle school. But I'm really glad with the changes I've made in my determination with this 'complete stories/docs for fics I have in Google Drive' project.

**Wawa:** Thank you for the words of encouragement, they definitely helped me finally stop procrastinating on writing ch10! Trust me, AFD was gonna be one of those more unoriginal stories as well but when I was going through my old fics, I got hit with a fun idea that I don't think I've seen anyone pull off before. It hasn't been revealed yet but it definitely will a little later in the story. Jdnfd I'm really excited for it!

**BrokenFlame1231:** I'm really happy you think this is one of the better stories you've written for this FMA fic genre! I really wanted to try and do something original with this half of the story and bring interesting and compelling OCs into the story as well. I get alchemy is really cool, but I thought it would be more fun to build upon automail (especially with the amount of googling I put into metals and engineering). Just know, Ivy's story is only one half of the story and once it is finished, I will be heavily focused on Akasha's and her perspective throughout the tale.

**Sakura Kinoshita:** There's nothing better than when a writer you idolized and reread all the time as a middle schooler commenting on one of your stories. I hope you continue to find the story interesting and can't wait to read more of whatever you publish!

**Revsi Lore:** Well it's been several months so here is a new chapter to binge! I wanna make a more fixed, biweekly schedule since I work better with deadlines =u=;;. I'm really happy you enjoyed reading AFD so far!

**Jolteongrl:** T^T I'm really happy you think so! I wanted Ivy to be a more relatable character. You get shoved into a world you barely know, it's easier to make organic relationships with the character and make decisions without going 'how does my action here affect the plot' since you have no idea what the plot is. I really enjoy writing her!


	11. Useless, Useless, Truth

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** Ivy has it rough. She's no anime fan or FMA fan. But when she somehow crosses the gate, she finds herself in the worst possible position: a protagonist of an Another World fic trope. And between the alchemy, automail, lack of plot knowledge, and struggling with her attraction to a pretty blonde mechanic, Ivy reluctantly teams up with the main characters in her journey to get home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

Ivy bit her lip thoughtfully as she looked down at the mess of a diagram she was constructing.

_Now if I want it to be extremely durable, I should just go with carbon steel for the plating. Maybe I should go with something lighter, though, since I want this to be for a more athletic person. Beryllium maybe? But beryllium can be brittle at room temperature… Okay but maybe make the beryllium an alloy mixed with nickel or aluminum, _that_ can combat the brittleness so it's hard and strong but still light enough for an athlete to use._ Ivy nodded to herself, she would run the idea over with Winry for reassurance. Ironic that the metal with the best heat dissipation characteristics per unit weight gets brittle at room temperature. _Hopefully, I came up with a good idea to combat it._

_"When I make prototypes..." Winry paused briefly as she looked over the tensile machine. Her eyes were still red from her earlier sniffles after Ivy's announcement she would be leaving, but the blonde was smiling nonetheless during her explanation. Now main construction for the forearm would be taking place and Winry was prepping to test the tensile strength of steel she would be using for Edward's arm. "I try to imagine the type of person I'm making it for. Like someone more active or someone who might be living somewhere warm, that sort of thing. And, of course, if you know the habits of regular clients that _hypothetically_ always seem to just bust up their arm beyond belief and never care about maintenance. You should try using different metals to combat that."_

_Ivy couldn't hold back the snicker, "that was just a hypothetical example? No reference to any certain childhood friends?"_

_"Of course it is!" Winry's own laughter filled the air. "That was all 100% a hypothetical example!"_

Ivy quickly scribbled 'beryllium alloy for plating' in the top right corner as she smiled fondly at the memory. Definitely 100% a hypothetical example for sure. _Well if the beryllium alloy works, it could be used for the port graft installment too._ Ivy added to her paper.

Ivy nodded to herself once again, pleased. This would be a great arm when it was finally built; well-thought out and planned carefully.

She would learn under Pinako's watchful eye until Edward and Alphonse made their Philosopher's Stone. Then once she had her arm, and potentially even a leg, built, she could take them back home with her. Something that could change her world for the better. Proof to herself that she had been somewhere no other person had.

_Of course…_ Ivy looked to her left at the wall that served as the divider between her room and the Elrics. _It would probably help if they were able to decipher that Marcoh guy's notes._

It had been about ten days now and the code had yet to be cracked, though Edward and Alphonse swore they felt like they were getting somewhere. So Ivy stayed in her room at the hotel they were booking and the boys went to the library some odd hours ago.

Ivy tried ignoring the small pinch of guilt in her stomach, focusing back on her automail in the making. Something for someone athletic, maybe a setter like herself, who would be able to make tosses with ease. So the arm had to be light and easy to move that could combat the warmer Californian weather. _And if light is what people really want, then honestly the way they build automail in the north would be the best thing._ The automail book Winry had lent her so long ago had gone into plenty of detail about the trials and errors of the creation of northern region automail.

_Duralumin, carbon fiber, aluminum, nickel-copper alloys… I'm starting to sound like Winry now._

It was the most intriguing thing she had read thus far about automail and the variants developed throughout Amestris.

_I can't wait to tell Akasha about this._ Ivy smiled to herself thinking about the brunette. _She honestly kinda sleepin' on automail with all her fanfiction ideas!_ Every OC Akasha ever mentioned always had something to do with alchemy.

Riku the water alchemist.

Some OC called Liza Hawkeye who practiced alchemy related to fire.

_Now that I actually know more about the stuff in this world, I'll have to ask her to throw in an engineer OC or something._ Just to make it fair. _Equivalent exchange and all that jazz._ Because frankly, automail seemed a helluva lot cooler than alchemy did at this point. Definitely a lot more do-able. Ivy could be fair though, she thought as she added an extra note about ball and joint mechanics to keep in mind.

Maybe if things had been different, she could have been plopped right into a house of a family of alchemists. Then she would be just like Edward, clapping her hands and going on about Flamel's Codex or the Green Somethinglurgic Lion Alchemy- or however the brothers had called it. Now _that_ is multiverse theory at its finest.

….

The minor guilt in Ivy's stomach suddenly grew a few sizes. Maybe it would have been better if she had arrived in proximity to alchemists.

_God, I'm so useless._

Ivy set her pen down, her sudden creative breakthrough gone. _What have I even been doing these past ten days?_ Edward and Alphonse have been doing all the work. And maybe if she had done any prior alchemy research when she arrived in Resembool, they'd be a lot further into deciphering the code.

_Even if you did, it isn't like you'd be able to do anything as a beginner._ A part of her argued. _They're alchemy geniuses and even they are having a hard time cracking this code. They'd still end up doing more than you would._

_But it's the principle!_ Ivy argued back. _How can you say you're going to be doing your best to get your ass back home when you can't even do what they're doing to get you back? Thinking about beryllium alloys isn't gonna help get us back._

Ivy stood up and began to pace. She needed to clear her head.

Why couldn't there just be a montage to the code being cracked and Ivy just dabbing her way back home?

_If only._ Ivy huffed. _Maybe I should eat something and that-_ "Uuuuugh! I can't!" _That's still just me sitting here on my ass and doing nothing!_

Ivy looked out the window; it was going to be sunset soon. _Maybe if she ran she would be able to help with something._ Ivy nodded to herself for the third time. _I don't know how, but I am gonna do something to help out majorly today!_ She thought as she grabbed her room keys.

She could be there in ten minutes.

"Oh, Miss Carter!" A hotel staff member called as she passed through the lobby.

_The universe hates me._ Ivy's nostrils flared. "Uh, yes?" Ivy smiled as curtly as she could manage, eyes blinking in surprise when she saw Hughes standing by the desk. "Mr. Hughes? What's up?"

"I asked Second Lieutenant Ross and Sergeant Brosch about the hotel the Elric boys were staying and decided to stop on over!" The man waved with a wide grin.

It was, unfortunately, contagious and Ivy couldn't stop herself from smiling more genuinely this time. "Oh, well those two nerds are still at the library if you wanted to talk to them." She thumbed over at the hotel doors. "I was actually on my way myself if you wanted to come with."

"No, no, I'll just wait here since the library will be closing soon!" Hughes guffawed. "Keep me company! I wanna hear more about how those two boys have been, I haven't gotten a chance to talk them properly in weeks and they never even think about checking in. Teenagers these days, should try to keep in contact with their elders."

"Oh um, well if you want." Ivy stammered, following after the man as he headed upstairs. "I just wanted to check on their deciphering but.. I probably would've just gotten in the way again. I'm not really an alchemist in any capacity. I'd say they make it look easy but Ed's about ready to destroy his hairline over these notes."

Hughes laughed again at that statement.

"Their room's right next to mine so we can just hang out in mine so you're not just, I dunno, standing outside." Ivy shrugged.

"Great! You're very polite for your age. Ed's always so quick to fly off the handle, glad to know you're reeling them in."

"I mean, I wouldn't say all that." Ivy coughed, a bit embarrassed from the praise. "It's more like he just needs someone to remind him not to completely book out about his maintenance. But that's more of me just scrambling for something to do here."

Hughes walked passed Ivy and right to the couch in her hotel room. "You're not staying with your family?"

Ivy bit her lip, back to Hughes as she closed and locked her door. "We're… not on speaking terms right now. Kind of heavy stuff. I'd rather not go into it."

"And it has nothing to do with the fact there are no records of a family of Carters in Central?" Ivy froze as the bespeculated man continued. He didn't sound giddy and friendly anymore. "Because so far, none of the records Sheska's been transcribing has no 'Carter' anything. So I'm going to give you the chance no to tell me the truth. I'm assuming that you genuinely are Ed and Al's friend and that's the only thing that kept me from immediately reporting the situation. But if I deem you a threat, you'll be taken in faster than you can blink. So let's talk this out now and then when the boys get here, I can question them too."

_Fuck me._

Ivy turned around slowly. "I'm really not a threat to anyone, I swear." She murmured shakily as she turned around, avoiding the man's gaze.

Hughes' voice was soft, "you sound like a native Amestrian, so my thoughts are that your family immigrated to the country illegally."

"That isn't it."

"Are you an Ishbalan mix that went into hiding after the Civil War?" Was his next response. "It's a dark stain on the history of this country but it's a quiet acknowledgement there were survivors from Ishbal, some of which were married to Amestrian spouses."

Ivy chuckled humorlessly, "I'm not really even sure you'd believe me if I told you." Telling the man the truth would probably just end up with her in handcuffs until Edward and Alphonse was there to bail her out. Even then, who's to say that Hughes would even believe them. _He'd think we're all crazy!_

"Try me then." Ivy looked up to see the man crossing his arms. He had a small smile on his face. "If it sounds too crazy, then we can start from ground zero unless you have some convincing evidence."

Evidence.

Ivy blinked.

She had evidence.

Her backpack was haphazardly strewn across her bed. "I… might have evidence." Ivy took a few cautious steps towards her backpack then looked towards the man. "It's something from my home. I promise it's not a weapon." Her mother had told her more than enough times about reaching for things when being approached by a non-person of color of officer. "I'm just… gonna get it slowly."

"Very well then." But Ivy could tell his eyes were trained on her hands.

Ivy slowly sat on her bed and reached her hand into her backpack to grab her phone. She hadn't turned this thing on for a little over a month. Please _have enough juice to turn on. _The black girl prayed, holding her breath as she held down the button to turn it on. The last time she had turned it on, it was at a gracious 39% before she gave up turning the thing on for the sake of preserving the battery life for some sort of emergency should one arise.

When the Pamsung logo suddenly lit up in bold white letters, Ivy bit her lip. When it didn't automatically die seconds later when the locked screen photo of herself and Akasha holding up peace signs to the dog face filter appeared with a beautiful 35% in the top right corner... Ivy could breathe. Hesitantly, she walked to an arm's length in front of the lieutenant colonel. _Alphonse said I could trust him._ "If someone ever came up to you and said they weren't from this world, what would you say?"

Hughes face contorted into one of disbelief, "I'd certainly think that person had a few screws loose in the head."

"... Well, that's what I'm telling you." Ivy turned her phone around to face the man, punching in her passcode from memory. "I'm not from this world. I'm from another one completely different to this one and there's no alchemy or Amestrians." She leaned over a little to see where her gallery app would be, clicking the app quickly and swiping through the available photos. Photos of herself, her friends, her volleyball team, her mom. "In my world, these are our phones. We can touch them like this and take pictures or talk to someone's face to face even if they're not in front of us." Ivy gulped as she looked to see Hughes' face. It was completely blank. "I-I know it sounds like a load of crap but I'm really telling the truth! I don't know how I did it but somehow, I got stuck here and I couldn't go back home. Ed and Al told me that it had to have been alchemy and that's why I'm traveling with them.

The Philosopher's Stone is supposed to help get me home. If you really don't believe me, I swear Ed and Al can vouch for me and-"

"Another world."

Hughes looked like his mind was traveling at .5 speed trying to process what just came out of Ivy's mouth.

"... yeah." Ivy whispered. "I-I can still do other stuff with thing. Like play games! Y-you can look through everything I have on here, I have nothing to hide! No sketchy DMs!"

"DMs?"

"Er, messages. We can write messages on our phones to people too." Ivy answered, handing her phone over anxiously.

Hughes just stared at it. "I'm not… really sure how to use it. Or where to even start." The man removed his glasses with his free hand, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You being a hidden Ishbalan was what I was honestly prepared for and you tell me you're from another world and hand me technology I've never imagined possible directly. First the Elrics then you, you teenagers are making me wish my daughter stays two forever."

Ivy shuddered with a smile, "imagine how I feel when I just try taking a shortcut home through a park and end up in the 1900s of another world." It was a fanfiction gone horribly wrong. One where the protagonists were completely and haphazardly wrong. "I'm just hoping that the lead these guys have can really pull off the impossible or else, I'm here forever."

"And I'm guessing that only the boys know about this."

"They're the only people I've told besides you." Ivy vowed. "I didn't… I didn't want to risk what could happen if the wrong people found out." For all she knew, that could have lead to Marvel movie levels of disaster.

Hughes held her phone out to her, a smile graced his features. "Your secret is safe with me."

Ivy could have cried. "Oh gosh, thank you so much! I seriously oh you big time, Mr. Hughes! I'll never take your kindness for granted ever!"

"Now, now, you don't have to do all of that!" Hughes laughed, holding his hands up reassuringly. "Just make sure you don't accidentally cross into any other worlds when the boys manage to get you back!" _Oh god, don't jinx it._ "And you'll have to come over for my daughter's birthday party or my lips will definitely gab!"

The giggle slipped out before she could stop herself, "I'll drag Ed and Al over if I have to too."

Hughes stood up, "and I'll see what information I can find out along the way." He announced and Ivy was sure that saints were real. "I'm no alchemist, but my position does put me in the best place to do research and I'll see what can be passed on. We'll get you home in no time."

* * *

"Hey Ivy, it's us. We need to tell you something."

"Coming!" Ivy was practically humming as she skipped over to the door. Hughes had been gone for about thirty minutes and she was happy to know there was someone else on her side. "I have something to tell you both too!" She opened the door, beaming.

That beam dropped when she saw Edward and Alphonse's faces.

"... What's wrong, guys?"

"It's… about the Philosopher's Stone."

**[;';]**

_To make a Philosopher's Stone, we'd have to sacrifice human life. We'd have to sacrifice numerous people to make even one, countless even._

_We're sorry, Ivy, but we can't… we can't use the Stone to restore our bodies. And we can't use it to get you back home._

_We're really sorry._

_Ivy stared at the ceiling._

She wasn't sure how much time had passed since Edward and Alphonse had told her that. That they had cracked the code of Marcoh's notes. That they found something hideous inside. Then they went to their room and they hadn't talked since.

The girl sighed. _The universe really does just wanna make people suffer. I kinda just wish Ashton Kutcher would just pop out from a closet and tell me I'm being pranked._ A month long prank would be better than what Ivy had heard. _Now what?_ Ivy looked at the wall separating her and the brothers. _Just when we thought they'd be able to get their original bodies._

Ivy bit her lip.

She didn't know who that Marco guy was, but he was one sick bastard if this was really the research he conducted as an alchemist. And he was even more disgusting if he was gonna force Edward and Alphonse to finish his work off.

Ivy stood up abruptly and headed for the door, expectedly seeing the bodyguards. She gave a weak smile, "I just wanted to cheer the boys up. I know this must be really rough for them."

"So they told you too?"

Ivy nodded, "yeah. I just don't want them gettin' too depressed. Someone's gotta look on the silver lining's, so it's gonna be Big Sis."

And with that, Ivy knocked right on the door rhythmically. "Open up guys, it's me. I wanna talk and I'd prefer to do it without the door being in the way."

There was no response.

"It's easier we talk face to face or I call Winry and tell her that you broke your arm."

That garnered a frantic rumble, the door swinging wide open. "You wouldn't dare!" Edward screeched.

Ivy grinned, pushing Edward aside. "I'm not now that you're letting me in. Thanks, Ed. You're too, kind." Brown eyes could vaguely see the outline of Alphonse sitting behind the couch on the floor. "Hey, Big Guy. I just wanted to check on you both. I know you were really hoping to get your bodies back."

Red eyes were practically glowing in the dark as Alphonse turned to look at her. "What about you? This was supposed to be your ticket home." The boy said softly as Ivy turned on a light, Edward found his place back on the couch.

"Hey, I'm fine." Ivy took her own spot on the couch, hoping she sounded more confident than she looked. "You guys said that alchemy brought me here and that alchemy could take me back. You never said it had to be the Stone." Ivy would just have to look to a different source of alchemy to find the answer. "I'm more worried about you two. What you guys are going through is way worse than me. I can only whine about my own crap for so long. So I'm here if you guys just… wanna vent."

"... I'm just tired of this." Edward grumbled after a few moments. "It's like just when I think our goal is within reach, it slips right through our fingers. But now, it's actually within our grasp and it turns around and slaps us in the face." Edward chuckled, a morbid smile on his face. "God really does have it in for us sinners."

"You're not sinners." Ivy snapped, gaze sharp. "You both made a mistake and had something bad happen to you in return. That doesn't make you sinners, it makes you two little kids that wanted your mom back. There's a difference. That Marcoh guy is the sinner." It felt like Ivy's blood was boiling just trying to imagine the man's face. "Don't ever compare yourself to him."

It fell silent again, Ivy's heart pounded so loud she worried someone would hear it. _I don't really know what else I can say at this point._

Loud knocking cut through the silence faster than a knife. "EDWARD AND ALPHONSE ELRIC, ARE YOU IN THERE?!"

"Oh god my heart almost fell out of my chest." Ivy choked "Is that the Major?"

"What should we do, Brother?"

"Ugh." Edward groaned. "Just ignore him. The door's locked so we can just pretend we're not-"

Ivy could do nothing but stare when a large white hand thrusted it's way through the door, doorknob in hand and door swinging wide open. "I heard all about it Edward Elric!" Alex Louis Armstrong stood in the flesh and sparkling all the while. "Such a tragedy! Who would've imagined that the Philosopher's Stone concealed such a horrible fate?!" The man bellowed tearfully. "Not only that, but if this hellish research was being conducted by an organization under the military, then it is indeed a grave situation! I cannot, in good conscience, stay quiet about this!"

"I thought I told you guys not to tell anyone!" Edward snapped at Maria and Denny who were standing close by awkwardly.

"S-sorry, sir." Maria stuttered, avoiding the shorter boy's gaze.

"But it's hard not to say anything when the Major gets all intense like that!" Denny added.

Armstrong, meanwhile, continued to sniffle. "Often the truth is more cruel that we bargained for!"

Edward flinched and Ivy shot him a concerned look, "Ed? You good?"

"The truth." Edward stood up.

"What is it, Brother?"

"Marcoh told us to look within the truth that lied within the truth." Edward mumbled, gripping his chin curiously. "So… there must be something more."

Ivy crossed her arms, frowning all the while. "I thought we weren't gonna give this Marcoh guy the time of day?"

"There's something else we need to do about his research, Ivy." Edward replied firmly. "Can someone get me a map regarding the alchemical research facilities here in Central?"

"Wh-"

"Please, it's urgent!" Denny got to jogging out the room at that plea.

Ivy bit her lip, "I still don't know if this Marcoh guy can be trusted, guys. Maybe you should try another researcher?"

"Marcoh's not as bad as you're imagining, Ivy." Edward placed his hands on his hips.

Alphonse nodded, armor clinking. "When we first met him, he refused to tell us anything. So we know he doesn't want this research ever getting out to anyone. He probably just wanted us to know so we didn't make the same mistakes he did."

Ivy crinkled her nose, but said nothing. As if Edward and Alphonse would ever do something that horrific.

"If this is going to be the case, Miss Carter, we'll have to ask you to go into your room for this discussion." Armstrong cut in politely. "This will be a discussion about private military operations and as an officer, I cannot let you stay."

"... right." Ivy stood up. "Just don't hesitate to give me a call when things are over then."

Brown made contact with gold and red.

* * *

Ivy jumped when she heard the sudden sound of knocking.

_Oh my god!_

She looked at her window, dull blond locks and golden eyes stared back a finger pressed against his lips. Ivy let out the biggest sigh of her life as she scrambled over, opening her window. "What the hell, dude!" She whispered. "Haven't you heard of knocking on the _door_? How are you even doing this right now?"

Leaning a little closer, Ivy got her answer at the extension of bricks keeping Edward balanced in his squatting. She couldn't see Alphonse, but she figured he was somewhere close.

"We can't!" Edward whispered back, an eyebrow twitching in irritation. "Ross and Brosch would just tell the Major that we tried making our own investigation. You had to have heard his protests."

"I might have heard the protests through the bricks this hotel calls walls but I don't know why the protests were made in the first place." Ivy replied dryly, still a bit salty she couldn't remain in the room when the discussion took place. She understood it was private military stuff, but still. She could be bitter. "So what did you guys talk about?"

"We know where the military was conducting experiments to make Philosopher's Stones." Ivy held her breath, eyes widening. "Marcoh used to work in the Third Laboratory so it was considered they did the research there, but there was actually a Fifth Laboratory. It's closed but the reason I'm certain they conducted their experiments there is the fact that there is a prison right next door to the prison. Executed prisoners don't get their bodies returned to their families so-"

"It's a cover up." Ivy finished, stomach churning. _This makes me wanna throw up._ "It's a cover up." D_oes the fact I think my own government would do something like this bad or good?_ At least alchemy wasn't legit in her world to pull this off.

"Exactly." Edward nodded with a grimace. Cool and collected as he appeared, that was enough to let Ivy know he felt just as disgusted as she did. "The Major doesn't want me or Al checking it out but we have to. We got ourselves like this and we're getting ourselves out of the hole we dug. Marcoh said to look for the truth within the truth and that's what we're doing."

Ivy clenched a hand into a tight fist. "I'm coming too. This isn't just your journey, it's mine too and I need to be there. Scooch over so I can come out."

"Oh no you don't." Edward held out a hand quickly. "You're staying here. We don't know what kind of stuff we might find there and we don't want you getting hurt."

Ivy's mouth fell agape. "Are you serious?!" She could barely stop herself from raising her voice from above a whisper. "You're stopping me from coming along?" Her heart stuttered in her chest, anxiety and guilt sweltering just underneath the skin. "Why? Don't you think I'm playing a dangerous enough game after what happened with Mr. Hughes?" He may have accepted the story but that could have just as well have gone another way.

"That's different." Edward's expression was stern, giving no leeway. "Just Hughes finding out alone is just fine, he's someone we can trust. But going to an abandoned military laboratory where they can possibly be remnants of past experiments? No way. Al and I don't know what to expect."

_"But I have to go!"_ Ivy shook her head, taking a step closer. "It's been nearly two weeks since I've left Resembool so I could actively do things to get myself home and I've done nothing but mooch off you and your brother! Have I done anything to help decipher the notes? No. Have I made any kind of breakthrough on my own about the Gate? _No._ All I'm doing is designing an arm I can't even build and checking out books through your library card. I'm sick of being useless and just sitting on my ass while you two do all the hard work. So I'm coming too!" Ivy crossed her arms, glaring at Edward as hard as she could.

Brown stared into gold.

Gold stared into brown.

"Yeah, you're right." Edward finally stated calmly. "You _have_ been useless."

The answer, while expected, didn't sting any less. Ivy refused to let her eyes get wet from the comment, subconsciously grinding her right foot into the carpet. Edward only went on from there, "all you do, day in and day out, is do your automail research, remind me to dry my automail after showering, and then nag if I haven't eaten anything. You've been a real pain, you're like a fussy aunt that's trying to babysit. You _should_ make yourself more useful." Ivy blinked in surprise when she felt a soft, human hand set atop her head. "So you should go back to Resembool and train with Granny. We can't use the Philosopher's Stone to get home anymore and we're gonna have to start from scratch. We don't even know what we're gonna do with accessing the Gate to get you home without human transmutation.

It's really gonna be an uphill climb and a long detour. Three years of looking for the Philosopher's Stone down the drain on top of learning about a world on the other side of the Gate. For all we know, that could be another three years to boot. So if you really wanna be useful for me and Al, you should go back to Granny's and keep Winry from throwing wrenches at me whenever I inevitably break my automail again. I don't think earrings are gonna keep cutting it." Edward grinned. "Al and I are gonna be back before you know it. So just wait here and we can talk more about what we're gonna do tomorrow."

Then with a flash of blond and red, Edward headed down. Ivy's lip trembled as she looked out of her window to see Alphonse waving from the ground before he and Edward took off into the night.

_That wasn't the answer I wanted, you dummy._ Ivy kicked the wall softly. She wanted to hear something else.

_Why did I have to be the one to cross over, huh?_ She blinked, hot tears trailing down her brown face. With a sniff, Ivy wiped them away as she laid down on her bed. A familiar brown-haired girl with bright green eyes came to mind. _This should have been 'kasha. She would know what to do here._

Akasha would be brilliant here.

She would know what to do from plot A to plot B. The girl had a gazillion fanfics and daydreams to choose from if she needed a cover story, Edward and Alphonse would probably never know where she came from. She'd probably just say she was an alchemist wannabe looking for a teacher and who else other than the brilliant Edward Elric? Akasha would just never want to find a way home.

That'd be the only difference.

But at this point, Ivy wasn't even sure that difference mattered if it would essentially take forever to figure out in the first place.

_Why'd it have to be me?_

* * *

When Ivy opened her eyes, the first thing she was met with blinding light and immediately, she closed them. _Christ, did I sleep with my lamp on or something?_ She didn't even remember going to sleep. She had kept her hair in a high puff, that couldn't be good for her edges. She sighed loudly, blinking her eyes open again.

There was nothing but pure white.

_…. What the hell?_ Ivy sat up quickly. There was nothing around her that was from her hotel. There was nothing at all!

She looked to her left.

She looked to her right.

_Where the hell-_ Ivy froze immediately when she looked behind herself and saw the looming gate behind her. A strange sun with wormy roots stretching down the stone that feathered down symmetrically to the base with strange writing all over. _My gate._

Ivy's jaw was slack as she stood up shakily.

Was this for real?

A dream?

Ivy stepped forward in awe.

The large mass was closed shut.

_All I have to do is just…. push it and I could be out of here._ She placed a shaky hand on the stone surface. _I can go_ home.

_"Obviously it's an insult!"_

_"How are you gonna bet with no money, Ivy?"_

_"She kinda has a point, Brother. You weren't really popular in school 'cause all the girls thought you were mean."_

_"You really admire her work, huh?"_

_"Don't take any time rushing to get back to Resembool, okay? Just make sure to call first when you head back."_

_"Don't forget your promise, Ivy."_

Ivy clenched her jaw and took a deep breath. _Sorry, Winry. That's just a promise I can't really keep._ Edward and Alphonse would just have to tell the Rockbells something when they came back and found Ivy nowhere to be found. _I wish I could have at least left a note for you if this was going to happen tonight._

With that…. Ivy pressed firmly on the doors, ready for whatever would come next.

And what came next, was absolutely nothing.

Ivy pushed again.

And again.

And again.

"What the hell?! Why won't you just open?!" Ivy screeched. "I'm ready to go home now! I found you somehow! So open already!"

A chuckle cut through the air, Ivy jolting immediately and spinning around to see who suddenly arrived. Or what, rather, was a thought when she saw it. It was something, something all white. The shadows of its teeth somehow just visible. _**"No matter how hard you push…"**_ it spoke, grinning widely. **_"It isn't going to open."_**

"... Who are you?"

_**"I'm so glad you asked."** _The thing said gleefully. _**"I'm what you all would call "the world". Or "the universe". Or "God". Or "Truth". Or "All". Or "One". And I am also…."** _The thing pointed a pure white finger directly at Ivy. **_"'You'. And I'm going to tell you again, no matter how hard you push… it isn't going to open."_**

"... Why not?" Ivy couldn't stop her voice from choking as she stared at… the Truth. She wasn't sure what else she should call it. "Why won't it open? Why did I end up here in a manga series of all things?!"

_**"How presumptuous of you."** _Truth coyly replied. **_"This would is just as true as your own. Isn't that what you humans call it on your side? The multiverse? Whatever is and isn't true for this world, they are and aren't true for another. This just happens to be the same."_** Truth continued as if it were talking with a friend at McDonald's about the differences between cold brew and hot brew coffees. **_"Aren't you the lucky one to confirm that the theory is true."_**

Ivy's nails dug tightly into the palms of her hands. Her mind was spinning a million miles per second. htly into the palms of her hands. Her mind was spinning a million miles per second. "Why-" her throat felt so dry. Ivy tried forcing any saliva she could muster down her throat. "Why me then? Why did you pick me for this?"

_**"Whoever said I picked you?"**_ Truth laughed once again. _**"You humans are always so arrogant. I never picked you. You just so happened to be at the right place at the right time and you walked right in. And once you did, I decided it would be fun to see how YOU would fare in this world compared to a more knowledgeable entity. Afterall, where's the fun when someone knows the answers to everything?"**_

A surge of anger rose through Ivy's entire body. "You mean, I'm just stuck here because you felt like having entertainment?! Until you decide things get too boring!?"

**_"Well where's the fun in cutting things short too early?"_**

"This isn't some novela or drama on TV, this is my-"

Ivy woke to a loud pounding on her door.

"Ivette Carter, open this door right now, young lady!" Maria's voice sounded through the door. Ivy blinked, vision bleary.

Sunlight shone through the window, the sky a bright blue.

"Did you know that Edward and Alphonse were going to sneak out last night and didn't tell us?! We know you're in there! Come out this instant! Edward's in the hospital because of all this recklessness!"

Ivy couldn't even bring herself to say anything, covering her face with her hands with the knocking continuing.

_I just want to go home._

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

And here's 11 already? Basically two days in a row? Man, I am on a roll.

Have I mentioned I love writing the automail bits because I do. I swore to myself I would lay off a bit with the automail rants but I have a great excuse (aside from being the author)... Ivy's a budding engineer in the making and it was established in ch10 she was trying to design an arm to build and thus it is perfectly fine for her to have her moments. Plus, I remember always reading OC stories where through some way or another, usually by way of becoming Ed's apprentice, they would learn alchemy. Or would already be an established State Alchemist, or, would be an independent alchemist who somehow gets wrapped into Edward and Alphonse's situation through the power of plot. And for the extremely rare instances, that I can vaguely remember, an OC was an automail engineer it was only vaguely talked about in writing through lack of knowledge of engineering or by purpose of wanting to replace Winry.

Ivy in the original edition of AFD was going to be learning alchemy by way of Ed and Izumi, but I'm glad in this reboot she's going the engineer's route. This time, I wanted to bring an OC that didn't rely on alchemy as well as actually focus on the process since the research I've done via reading the series over and over and reading articles on actual metals and engineering terminology, it must be shared. Through Ivy's POV of the project, we are ALL automail engineers.

But I also wanted to write about any guilt Ivy had about feeling as if she isn't contributing enough to the group. She gets to stay in a hotel for free and the bros check out books for her on her behalf and are even trying to help her get back home. And in return? She hasn't really be able to do anything aside from just come up with a prototype for automail. Maybe Ed was right? Maybe she should learn alchemy? She isn't sure what to do. And then of course we have serious Maes! He's always so kind and lovable it can be easy to forget that is only one side of his character that he chooses to show to family but if you're not on that list of loved ones… good luck. **_Also took some creative liberties with the phone thing. It's fiction so sometimes we get to bend shit for the sake of plot. =u=;;. And Pamsung was intentional, was kinda inspired by those animes that turn McDonald's into WcDonald's to avoid getting sued lol._**

Nfkdnfd Sorry for getting longwinded. Somehow, my author's notes always turn into essays but I love this part of talking about my thoughts writing the story!

_Hope to get some reviews from old and new faces!_


	12. I've Got No Strings to Hold Down My Envy

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** Ivy has it rough. She's no anime fan or FMA fan. But when she somehow crosses the gate, she finds herself in the worst possible position: a protagonist of an Another World fic trope. And between the alchemy, automail, lack of plot knowledge, and struggling with her attraction to a pretty blonde mechanic, Ivy reluctantly teams up with the main characters in her journey to get home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

"Edward, I _really_ don't think this is the brightest idea you've had in the entirety of me knowing you." Ivy grimaced as the boy in question laid down on his stomach, right arm laid out expectantly to the side. After her awakening that morning by Maria's scolding, she'd been asked to bring her toolbox and look over Edwar'd arm. But Edward's complaint of being able to wriggle his fingers but not nothing else sounded out of her realm of expertise."I haven't even officially made automail yet and I don't have nearly enough tools to do this."

"But you helped Winry with the arm!" The blond rebutted.

"If by 'helping' you mean I literally just sat down and took notes on how she constructed the thing, then yeah but I didn't _build_ it." Ivy retorted, grinding her teeth as she sat down in the chair beside his bed. "You said it feels disconnected at the shoulder, right? I never learned how to fix that."

"Come on, don't you have any theories though?"

"Well, I mean maybe a wire has been-"

"Then you can fix it!" Edward interrupted. His gold eyes were wide with terror. "Please?! That way Winry doesn't have to know anything happened to her 'precious automail', you get to practice with my arm, and then we all can leave this stupid hospital!"

Ivy just gave her friend a deadpan look, "so you're just using me to get out of getting cussed out by Winry?"

"Obviously."

Ivy rolled her eyes but opened her toolbox nonetheless. "I'll _look_ at it, alright?" A wide grin spread across Edward's face almost immediately. "I'm only looking, don't get your hopes up. If it's something I can actually fix with ease, then fine. I'll fix it and this can be our precious little secret from Winry, for the price of some new clothes and olive oil. If not, you're calling Winry. Today."

"Thank you." Edward sighed in relief.

Ivy released a sigh of her own. Only Edward would be the type to completely avoid calling his mechanic when his arm was in this bad shape. She definitely wasn't skilled enough to do any sort of fiddling without somehow making the situation worse. _Hell, we're gonna be calling Winry regardless._ Ivy knew that much. "I can't believe you sometimes."

"Well I can't believe you're from an entirely different side of the gate sometimes."

Ivy fell silent as she gently lifted the shoulder plating that kept the inner workings of the shoulder system protected. "... Hey, Ed?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever… been to a place that's just a white void and have seen an all white person? I was wondering if that was just me or if that's a thing here."

Edward lifted himself up just enough to look over his shoulder, eyes narrowed. "You saw the Truth?" His voice barely a whisper. "When?"

"It called itself that." It was something from this world then. "It happened sometime after you and Al took off for the Fifth Lab. It told me all this stuff about being the universe and everything. It wouldn't let me go open my gate."

"What do you mean it wouldn't let you open your gate?" Edward repeated, incredulously.

"I mean, I saw the gate I passed through but it wouldn't let me push it open." Ivy scowled just remembering the exchange. Like it viewed her as a source of entertainment and was readying itself to sit back and watch the fireworks. "So I honestly… I don't even know if I'll ever be able to go back home. It said that it wanted to see what it would be like if someone from my world came here and it didn't exactly give a date as to when it would be ready to let me go back home."

"..." Edward laid back onto his stomach with a furrowed brow. "The universe really just loves to kick people when they're already down, huh?"

Ivy clenched her toolbox. "Yeah." With a quiet huff, Ivy shook her head. "Well, lemme see the damage with your automail. You should get me some olive oil anyway just for agreeing to do this."

"What is with you and olive oil anyway?"

"'S for my hair, champ."

"You put oil in your hair?"

"You don't?"

"Touche."

Ivy chuckled for the first time that day, peering over at the shoulder disc. What was wrong was almost immediate. _The hell?_ Right in the middle of the shoulder disk, the pulley system was engorged and spilling out like an inflamed wound full of puss. "What on earth did you do last night, fight an army?" Ivy asked in disbelief. "I honestly don't even know how you managed to even do this after one fight." It was like the pulley system was knocked out of place.

Edward sputtered out a weak protest. "I was trying to protect myself!" He exclaimed. "Those guys didn't fight fair at all!"

"I know, but damn." Ivy winced just looking at it. "I'm not sure what I can do about this." She murmured. _Do I just push it back in?_ She gave the area a tentative push to see if she could get the blasted thing to set back underneath the shoulder disk that contained the ball and joint system.

It quickly sprung back out again.

_Why am I not surprised?_ Ivy sighed, trying the action again, holding the exterior disc down firmly. It was staying put on the rest of the areas bolted down so why didn't- Ivy paused. This area had no bolt in it. _Yoooo… Edward either lost a bolt or this was never there to begin with._

Ivy looked back into her toolbox. Not even her biggest bolts were big enough to keep the pulley in place and Ivy was sure even more work had to be done to make sure it connected properly again.

_Definitely calling Winry._ She thought as she set the plating back in place.

"So, I've got some good news and some bad news." Ivy tapped a foot on the ground. "The good news is, I figured out what was wrong. The bad news is..." She paused for dramatic effect. "I can't fix it; you need to call Winry."

"What the hell! You said you could fix- ow!"

"That's what your dumbass gets for sitting up too fast when you're injured." Ivy snickered, standing up. "And I actually said I knew what the problem was, but that I couldn't fix it. I don't have the right material. So get to calling your mechanic, Goldie Locks." Ivy stretched. "And don't forget that I still at least want some olive oil in exchange for my look over fee."

"Ivy." Ivy didn't even hide her disdain when she looked over to see Edward leaning out of his hospital room door. His voice was sickeningly sweet, his eyes screaming 'desperation'.

Ivy shook her head. "As a big sister figure, it's my job to tell you to face the music when you gotta own up to something." She crossed her arms, staring down at the boy with a firm expression. "I ain't doin' jack, or jill."

"But Winry won't get as mad if you tell her!" Edward whined. "Please! Pretty please?!"

"This is part of adulting, Edward!"

"I'll get you two bottles of olive oil, I swear!"

Ivy pursed her lips. _This nigga really tryin' to bribe m-_ "I am literally only doing this for the sake of my hair and you are only gonna get away with this crap once."

Edward clasped his working hand in victory, "yes!"

"I'm serious though, Ed! You ain't buying me off again if this happens! You're gonna face the music!" Ivy called over her shoulder as she grouchily headed to the nearest phone within the hospital. "God, he and Akasha act like they're five year olds begging their babysitters not to tell their moms that they did a bad thing at school." She grumbled to herself. At least Edward came prepared to bribe his way out of it. Akasha tried relying on charm alone every time.

Using an Amestrian phone was routine now in the strange way Ivy had to dial the phone and speak to an operator to have her call directed to whatever location she needed. Then it was just a matter of waiting for the call to go through.

"Hello, Rockbell Automail." Small flurries filled Ivy's chest at the sound. Today's worries suddenly felt miniscule to this moment. Ivy hated herself for it.

"Well, looks like I got lucky with you picking up the phone right off the bat, Winry." Ivy smiled, taking a seat at the bench next to the phone.

"Ivy!" The blonde sounded like she was smiling. "You didn't call last night! Did something happen?"

Yes. "Nah, I kinda just fell asleep before I could do anything. But I actually had a reason to call this time."

"Oh, is it about the arm you're designing somehow through the miracle of books alone?"

"No, but we can definitely circle back to that later." Ivy crossed her legs, leaning closer to the phone as if she could feel physically closer to her friend. As great an idea as her beryllium alloy could be, it would have to wait. "I was wondering if maybe you could make a service call and come to Central? Edward's arm is busted."

"Again!?" The girl screeched. "How did he break it, it's only been two weeks!"

"Now now, I'm pretty sure it just has something to do with the missing bolt in his shoulder disc. Now the pulley system is out of whack in the ball and joint system." Ivy batted her eyelashes. "Pretty sure there's nothing Edward can do about that."

The sound of flustered coughing came from the other side of the line, "I-I don't know what you're talking about!"

Ivy could only guffaw, "methinks the lady doth guilt too much!"

"It was an accident!" Winry grumbled, clearing her throat. "I was running on three all-nighters so it's only expected that I might have missed one little bolt."

"Still, Ed's kinda grounded for now so I don't think that he'll be able to go to Resembool. That's why he asked me to call, he's worried you'll somehow manage to throw a wrench at his head even through the phone." Ivy joked. Knowing Winry, she would probably make it plausible and Edward would be even more injured. "Just go easy on the guy when you see him. He's in shambles."

"I have no choice then." Winry sighed. "I'll come to Central as soon as I can. Maybe I can get a ticket for tomorrow with my allowance…" The mechanic sounded thoughtful, likely counting away the expenses. "And it should be an easy fix within an hour, so tell Edward not to do anything else drastic so I actually have an arm to repair when I get there."

Ivy grinned, "I'll let him know, gearhead."

"And even if it's because of Ed needing repairs, it'll be great to see you in person!" Winry's additional sentence felt like a shot to the heart. "It's felt like forever and it's only been a about two weeks."

"It'll be great seeing you too, Winry." Torturous as it would be, it really would be nice to see Winry again. "I think I've got a great idea for an arm that I wanna run by you and it'll be fun talking about that in person instead of through a phone. I'm trying to design something that's for a more athletic person and trying to keep in might warmer weather since, well, I'm the type to really exercise in the summer."

Winry sounded faint, "exercise." She groaned.

"Exercise is good for you, you know!"

"_Anyway_, I need to get back with helping Granny with an order." Winry said nonchalantly as if she wasn't in the process of distracting Ivy from giving a well-deserved lecture. "I'll be there in a couple of days and get my ticket tomorrow."

"Alright, I'll call sometime tomorrow then so I can see when you're supposed to be arriving." Ivy replied cheerily. "I'll pick you up from the station."

"See you then!"

"See ya."

With that, Ivy set the phone back on the housing and sighed.

_"You should go back to Resembool and train with Granny."_ Edward's voice ran through her mind. _Maybe I should at this point considering what happened._ Ivy sighed again. There was no telling when she would ever be able to go home, whether it be through that Truth thing or through Edward and Alphonse finding a loophole. It would probably make everyone happy.

She wouldn't be in Edward or Alphonse's way and she could focus on other things in the meantime.

_Lemme just get up and tell Edward Winry will be coming._ The bitterness rose like bile in her throat. No matter the decision, it wasn't like she'd be gaining anything on Pine Street. _Carter, you have the worst taste._ Maybe it would fade over time. Ivy could at least hope that would be the case. She already had the perfect man and woman in her heart and that was Prince Zuko and Ty Lee.

That got a chuckle out of her.

_Now that would have been an adventure. If I had ended up there, there ain't no telling if Mai would have a boyfriend by the time she'd be introduced._ Ivy snickered once more; nothing was fair in love, fire, abs, and a voice of the heavens. _At least I'd have Ty Lee if it didn't work out. Nice and bubbly, could kick my ass._

Ivy stopped in her tracks when she caught a glimpse of metal. Al? She looked to her left, the boy sitting alone in what had to be the most conveniently creepy dark hallway in a hospital ever known to man. "What are you doing here all by yourself, Al?" Ivy called as she took a few steps in the boy's direction. "Al?"

"Oh. Ivy." Alphonse said, coming to at last.

Ivy smiled awkwardly, "yeah, me." She patted his head. "What are you doing here in the dark like this? This is something straight out of a horror novel, dude. Don't you wanna sit in the room with Ed? You're his family so it isn't like they can kick you out since it isn't like he's in life-threatening condition."

"... Yeah." Alphonse's voice was dull, red eyes staring down at his feet. "My family."

"Alphonse, you alright?" Ivy asked, more than concerned.

The boy only shook his head, "nothing." He said in the least convincing way imaginable. "I'll be there in a little while. It's just that yesterday was a lot."

Ivy's right foot twitched. "I gotta tell Ed about Winry but do you want me to sit come back and sit with ya? Or we can go and walk somewhere and-"

"I just wanna be alone right now, sorry." Alphonse said softly, not bothering to look up at her.

The silence that fell between them was thick.

"Well… okay, then." Ivy took a step back, not sure what else could be said. Sometimes, you just had to let a fickle cat just come to you instead of prodding at it. "I'm gonna let your brother know Winry will be out here in a couple of days for his repairs and then I'm gonna head back to the hotel to eat something."

"Mhmm."

Ivy cautiously put a few more steps between them, waiting to see if Alphonse would change his mind and offer to come along. He didn't and Ivy kept on walking.

_What the hell happened last night?_ Ivy shuddered.

* * *

"Ivy!"

"Winry!" Ivy grinned as she spotted the shorter mechanic running through the crowd, her giant red toolbox making her easy to spot. "Welcome to Central!" She opened her arms widely, Winry barreling through with her own arms spread out. Her toolbox landed loudly at their feet.

Winry laughed loudly, "it's so great to see you! Thanks for picking me up!" The girl explained with a squeeze.

Ivy squeezed back, feeling warm.

Her heart felt like it was ready to burst right of her chest, more than happy that Winry's chin was resting on a brown shoulder than on Ivy's chest. "Girl, you already know that's no problem." Ivy clicked her tongue as Winry released her grip, smiling all the while. "I'll pick you up whenever you need me to."

"That's good to know!" Winry beamed, picking her toolbox back up.

"Want me to carry that instead?" Ivy raised a black eyebrow. "You have been sitting on a train all night."

Winry shook her head, "I can do it." The girl flexed an arm, grinning proudly. "Being a mechanic, I'm always lifting heavy stuff for Granny so I can carry this like nothing!"

Ivy whistled impressed, "well well, allow me to marvel in your power."

"You may marvel all you like." Winry winked.

Ivy chuckled lightly with Winry not too far behind. "We're such dorks." Ivy rolled her eyes. She nodded her head towards the station exit. "Come on, let's get goin' so the repairs can get finished and I can show off my beautiful creation, Elizabetta." A lovely name for a lovely arm. "I'm thinking that I should do a beryllium alloy for the plating since it's so light and to combat the brittleness, I can combine the beryllium with aluminum so it's strong. I wanted to hear your thoughts in person."

Blue eyes gleamed in excitement. Automail would always get Winry going even if she had been on a train all night or doing all-nighters to build an arm. "That's a pretty good idea, actually! But I do think that there can be a better alloy to use for the plating." Winry advised animatedly moving her left hand as she talked. "And making an alloy using steel and aluminum together is good too. A steel-aluminum alloy can be up to 13% denser than normal steel and the strength-to-weight ratio is actually comparable to steel! So for an athletic person, that's a great alloy to use. A beryllium alloy for the port itself, though? Perfect! That can definitely help with traveling in lighter climates."

Ivy wished she had a notebook to write that down, "remind me this info later so I can write it down!" She knew that talking to Winry would be a great idea.

Winry nodded happily, "I'd do that for Ed but he's always getting into brawls that I worry more about about him. So usually what I do for him is reinforce the armor itself and refine the hydraulics to help support the weight." Alright, note-to-self for more heavy-handed users. _Refine the hydraulics and reinforce the armor._ "I'm so happy to have someone to talk to about automail besides Granny!" Winry leaned closer to give a playful nudge, her toolbox sliding for a few seconds and the blonde readjusted her grip accordingly. "Growing up with Ed and Al I had no one to talk to about it and I just had to hear them go on and on about alchemy everyday."

"Oh who are you tellin'?" Ivy could feel a headache coming on just trying to remember the terms the boys used over the past couple of weeks. "I thought my head would explode just listening to them _talk_ and _talk_. It isn't like I can just lean over and ask them this sort of thing either."

Winry laughed awkwardly, sounding as if the pain Ivy described was all too familiar. "Speaking of those dummies," Winry said once her courtesy laughter subsided. "where are they anyway? Ed just drags me out here for repairs and doesn't even bother to come and pick me up too?"

Ivy ignored the sharp feeling in her chest, "oh well, he is kinda grounded right now."

"You said that the other day." Winry raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean 'grounded'? Is it work-related?"

"Ummm…" Ivy coughed. She might have failed to mention the fact that Edward was in the hospital. "I kinda didn't want you to worry so I decided not to say anything until now but, Ed's in the hospital."

"The hospital?!" Winry exclaimed, her brow furrowing fiercely. "He's in the hospital!?"

"Yeah." Ivy replied her tongue tasting horribly. "It was a pretty bad fight. But I knew that you'd drive yourself crazy on the way over and I didn't want you to lose sleep on an already uncomfortable train ride." Ivy offered her best reassuring smile but Winry only bit her own lip in her concern.

"Well we have to get there quickly!"

"Yeah, let's kick it into overdrive." Ivy picked up her pace, Winry following behind her quietly. Her expression contorted into one of heavy concern. Ivy wanted to vomit. _Some big sister figure I am._ Winry's ability to sleep on the train had been the last of Ivy's petty worries._ I should have told her._ Her stomach churned darkly. Maybe that Truth thing had its source of entertainment now.

When they arrived at Edward's hospital room, Winry dropped her toolbox to the ground in horror. "Oh my god!" Winry shouted, horrified. Edward had been wrapped completely from head to toe in bandages. "No one told me you were this badly injured!" Ivy felt her stomach churning intensify.

"Originally I was only hurt half as bad as I am now but…" Edward grumbled. "Then the major hugged me.

Winry pinched her nose in disbelief as the giant man himself sparkled and crossed his arms. Edward Cullen had nothing on this guy, Ivy was sure. "It's your own fault for not training yourself hard enough." Armstrong said simply, eyes closed and nodding all the while.

"You can't expect him to be a match for _you_, Major!" Winry snapped, sweating. She sighed quickly, her eyes falling on Edward Elric as he grouchily took his bandages off mumbling disparaging comments. "But… even without the wounds inflicted by the major, your injuries are still really severe."

Edward only shrugged, "this is nothing. Wounds like these heal quick."

Winry shook her head, ponytail flinging from side to side. "No, this is my fault. You were hurt because your automail failed you…" The girl bowed deeply. "I'm so sorry for not being thorough enough when I built it."

Silence fell over the room and Ivy stared Edward down. _Come on, man. Say something to her._ She mouthed as he looked back at her with confused eyes.

When a light dusting of pink blush appeared on Edward's cheeks, Ivy wanted to screech. "It-It's not your fault, Winry!" The alchemist argued. "First of all, the reason it broke was because I was too rough on it! Your work was _flawless_ as usual!" Well, that wasn't entirely true this time. "Plus, when my arm broke, it kept me from getting even _more_ beat up! So don't worry about it, alright?! Alright!"

Ivy could only shake her head as Winry's face lit up deviously. Maybe she wasn't a completely pure angel, after all. Ivy put her hands on her hips as Winry suddenly pulled out an abacus from Truth knows where. "You're right! It's not my fault at all! Let's talk about my fee for coming out here to make repairs! Of course, I'm charging extra for the rush order fee too!"

"Damn, Winry. You're cold." The stomach churning aside, a snort escaped Ivy's lips. "Ice cold."

Armstrong only chuckled while Edward's face contorted into disbelief. "Don't get so excited, Edward Elric. You must take it easy and nurse yourself back to health." The man's sparkles were endless. "And to do that you need plenty of nutritious food and rest."

"I know, I know." Edward grumbled. "I already ate all the food the nurses gave me."

"You didn't drink your milk." Winry's eyes narrowed.

Edward started sweating bullets. "I don't wanna." He said like he was five. "I hate milk."

"That's why you're always gonna be the size of a pea!" Winry screamed, scratching at her head.

"Shut up!" Edward snapped. "I'm not gonna drink some opaque white liquid that was secreted by a cow!"

"You're just being stubborn, Edward Elric!"

Ivy sighed, shaking her head again. Things were gonna be pretty hectic for a while. She turned to look to Alphonse who had remained quiet the whole time. "You're just gonna-" Ivy paused abruptly as hulking suit of armor stood up silently and walked out the door. _…. Alphonse._

"Where's Al going?" Edward asked eyebrows up in surprise.

"No idea." Ivy bit her lip. He'd been quiet the past couple of days. "He probably just wants some down time from all the stress. And you should get some down time and get your repairs."

Winry clapped her hands together as if it just occurred to her that she still had repairs to do. "Right, I should get those done now." She smiled over at Ivy brightly. "Looks like you get to watch me work again."

Ivy hoped her smile didn't look forced, "nah, I think I'm gonna go for an afternoon jog. Clear out the tension in my beefy muscles."

"Whaaat?" Winry crossed her arms. "You do that every morning. It's been forever since we could do something like this."

"Two weeks is forever?" Edward scoffed, looking away sharply when Winry turned to glare at him. "I'm just saying that I really don't wanna get a headache from listening to two gear heads talking about automail like it is the latest actor to hit the scene."

"Like _you_ have any room to talk, Ed. You and Al do it all the time, so excuse me if I wanna do the same with Ivy." Winry replied brusquely. The blonde looked back at the black girl, blue eyes hopeful. "Can't you jog later?"

Ivy's gaze swept over to Edward bitterly. "I don't wanna be a distraction." She waved her hand. "And I actually have to get ready for something today." Hughes' daughter's birthday was today. The man had promised to drop by the hotel after getting some last minute presents and then he and Ivy would be on their way.

"Oh." Winry's eyes darkened as she looked down at her feet. "Okay then."

…..

_I hate myself so much._ "But I guess I can get ready for it later, so whip out the wrenches." Ivy sighed weakly. She was such a creampuff.

"Yay!" Winry pumped a fist into the air.

Ivy gave a brief farewell to Armstrong and Maria as they filtered at the room with waves of their own. Denny to a seat in a corner of the room.

Despite herself, the large smile on Winry's face made Ivy perk up. Even if Edward was who Winry preferred, he'd never be able to get her excited through means of automail. Ivy at least had that, she thought as she watched Winry wrap around herself a cute pink apron and don her brown suede gloves. "So should my arm in its entirety be steel-aluminum or do you think I should just focus on the alloys being the plating itself? I want it to be light but I don't want it to just break if the user is too rough with it."

"Ugh, the gearheads are talking!"

Winry ignored Edward's complaint completely, "I think the arm as a whole considering the kind of person you're making it for. " Winry said as she took off Edward's shoulder plate. "Then make the plating harder that way it can protect the arm in rougher situations. It isn't like the average person is always brawling so I don't think you have to worry too much about it." Winry said pointedly, a sharp look at Edward. "Maybe the plating itself can be another steel-aluminum alloy but with different rations of steel-to-aluminum.

Steel's denser and heavier so you don't want to overthrow the balance of the arm. So for the arm, a higher percentage of steel with enough aluminum to make it light. Then for the plating a higher percentage of aluminum with enough steel to make it strong."

"Got it, got it." Ivy nodded thoughtfully. "I didn't think of that. I can definitely save my beryllium idea though!"

"Definitely for someone who lives in a hotter region of Amestris." Winry agreed. "That way they don't have to worry so much about the heat with their automail. They should try to keep it out of direct sunlight if possible but sometimes it is't avoidable, so a beryllium alloy in addition to the steel would be perfect."

"Why don't you do that with Edward's arm?" Ivy leaned forward as the mechanic's fingers moved deftly. "The steel-aluminum alloy? You said you wanted to make it stronger without making it too heavy, right?"

Winry hummed thoughtfully, brow furrowing. "That's an alloy better for people who _don't_ get into fights all the time." Edward said nothing though he coughed awkwardly. "Maybe it's how the steel is tempered…"

Ivy raised a hand to give a thumbs up. "You're a great engineer, don't worry you'll figure it out." She said reassuringly. "What does Pinako say about it?"

"To figure it out on my own." Winry sighed. "Granny never lets things be the easy way."

"Yeeeep, that sounds like Pinako." Never answered things directly and made you figure it out on your own. _"You'll remember the lessons more that way."_ Pinako would say. "_If I just give you the answer, what's the point of you even trying to make your own theories?"_ Pinako would add. "Maybe you're overthinking it? Maybe fortify the plating?"

"That would make it too heavy." Another sigh escaped Winry's lips. "Making scrap automail is only getting me so far but I can't just use the material we use for actual clients since we'd run out faster." So Winry would usually go to the scrap yard and grab whatever she could and ask the town blacksmith to melt it all down for her and use it. Ivy remembered doing two of those trips during her time in Resembool. It was the best way to save materials as well as finetune her abilities to construct automail body parts. _"If I can make something great out of this,"_ Winry had said. _"Using actual quality material will be way easier!"_

"Maybe with the money you get from the repairs, you can be some cheaper steel and use that for practice?"

Winry nodded but her brow was furrowed in frustration. Ivy was sure she could read what the girls thoughts were.

Being an absolute beginner was fine in Resembool, but once you were well on your way with your craft, it was stunting and suffocating.

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

And here's 12 with ch 13 right around the corner? Man, I really am on a roll. Pretty soon we'll be heading to a new arc of the story which I've actually written a couple chapters of early. I've got a new system of writing chapters in advanced to when they'd be uploaded and it is really helping a lot. Winry has reappeared officially in person and Ivy gets hit with a case of the envy. Some people don't know, but there is a difference between jealousy and envy. Envy is when you want something that belongs to someone else while jealousy is when you fear something being taken away from. I felt like envy more suited Ivy's situation since she's resigned herself to the fact that she doesn't belong to this world and therefore doesn't deserve to step in and make any moves on Winry. Edward can't take what Ivy doesn't already have, after all. Poor gal needs a break, Akasha would be very shook about this turn of events

It also isn't a Winry-related chapter without an automail-related conversation lol. And don't be surprised if another quick update comes your way (like tonight) since I have a lot of chapters pre-typed.

**Supernovocaine:** I always wondered that myself so I decided 'bump it, I'm doing it myself'. And no worries about the nitpick, it wasn't about the really about the reception but more like the 'oh thank god I have enough juice to see how much life I have'. Maybe it's just because my phone is older as heck but when it's at 1% or less, it just instantly dies even if I try turning it on to do anything like check the time or see what the battery life is. So I was going for that feel, sorry I didn't clarify well enough!

**GaaraDeservesToBeHappy (fuckin' preach, my guy):** Thanks, I'm happy you appreciate her arrival method! I was going for a blink-and-you-miss-it, casual stroll before realizing 'I'm freaking stuck here. NOOOOO'. And the enjoyment of the IveRy ship is appreciated as well as you thinking she has universal shipping appeal with the Elrics!


	13. Let the Alphonses Hit the Floor

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** Ivy has it rough. She's no anime fan or FMA fan. But when she somehow crosses the gate, she finds herself in the worst possible position: a protagonist of an Another World fic trope. And between the alchemy, automail, lack of plot knowledge, and struggling with her attraction to a pretty blonde mechanic, Ivy reluctantly teams up with the main characters in her journey to get home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

"Alright, gearheads, if I can get your attention for once." Edward called after about forty minutes passed of mechanical gabbing. "I'd appreciate it."

"Oh hush." Winry scolded. The conversation had been getting good, Winry excitedly explaining a method to carve fingers out of steel in half the time. "You and Al did that all the time back when we were five and I never complained."

"You did all the time!" Edward growled in return.

Ivy chuckled lightly, "whoops." The girl shrugged. "What do you need, Edboy? Water? An extra blanket?"

"I was just wondering if either of you noticed anything off about Al." Edward asked tensely. "He's been acting… kind of strange lately."

Ivy's smile fell, clenching a hand tightly. "Yeah, I have." She thought about their interaction the other day when he was in that creepy hallway. "He's been quieter." And much more apt to be alone, far far away from other people. "I dunno, man. He hasn't told me anything and I've been trying to ask him what's wrong."

"Oh!" Denny suddenly shouted, reminding Ivy he was in the room in the first place. He had been so quiet, Ivy honestly forgot he was in the hospital room in the first place. "Do you think he's in shock from when I punched him?!"

"As if." Ivy was sure Edward was rolling his eyes. "Like Al would ever be in shock over something that small. He isn't that wimpy."

Winry placed her adjustable wrench on her bottom lip thoughtfully. "... I wonder what's bothering him."

Edward sighed loudly, "so you can't figure it out either?"

Winry shot the boy a strange look, exchanging her wrench for a rag stained with oil. "You're with him all the time and don't know what's wrong." She murmured, dabbing the rag with even more oil. "How would I know?" The blonde added as she made a smooth pass over the arm. "Well, the repairs are complete." She announced smiling proudly at her work.

Most of the scratches had been buffed out and it shone brighter the sun.

Ivy whistled, "looking good, Win." She grinned.

"Feels good too!" Edward grinned, rotating his arm in satisfaction. "It feels great to have both of my arms again!"

"Now you have to let the rest of your body heal." The engineer's expression was stern as she removed her apron. She shook her head in annoyance when Edward let out a non-committal 'yeah yeah'. "Why do I even bother worrying sometimes."

Ivy only shrugged. "Boys will boys?"

The door slammed open before anyone could say anything else. "Ed, my boy, is it true you have two beautiful girls in your room tending to your injuries?!" Maes Hughes loudly announced, smiling widely.

Ivy choked as Edward's face planted on the floor. "NO WAY!" The blond boy screeched at the top of his lungs. "I was just getting my maintenance done!"

"I see, so you're two-timing them."

"NOO! THAT ISN'T WHAT I SAID AT ALL!"

"Oh god, Hughes, please stop!" Ivy retched. Winry had said nothing at all, blue eyes blank. "That would be like making out with my brother! My short, emotionally-stunted brother!"

"DON'T SAY I'M A STUNTED SHRIMP!" Edward scowled, shooting up angrily.

Hughes only laughed it off, a hand clasping around Winry's. "Maes Hughes, nice to meet you, Miss!"

"Oh um, I'm Winry Rockbell." Winry smiled politely. "It's nice to meet you too."

"Isn't there some work you should be doing or something, Hughes?" Edward glared tiredly. "You were going on and on about how the investigations division being so busy you weren't able to get any time off."

"Oh don't worry." Hughes grinned, holding up a hand. "I gave Sheska some overtime."

"... you are an evil, evil man." Edward deadpanned.

Ivy chuckled nervously as Hughes laughed on. "I just wanted to check and see how you were doing and I also wanted to tell you an update about the Scar situation." Ivy's ears perked up at that. That name, she recognized. But a face that Akasha could have shoved down her face? Nothing._ I know I know that name though, Akasha literally talked about this person sometime before I ended up here._ Ivy stopped her train of thought as Hughes continued. "Your bodyguards are going to be dismissed soon."

"Really?! Great!"

"Foreal though." Ivy sighed in relief. "Y'all really had me all kinds of shook when we got here and the bodyguards showed up."

"Hold up, bodyguards?" Winry exclaimed. Ivy winced when blue eyes landed on her with a hint of anger and worry. "You never mentioned bodyguards when I asked you how you were!" Her glare turned to Edward. "Ed, just what kind of trouble have you been in?!"

Edward avoided Winry's gaze entirely. "N-nothing, really! Don't worry about it. It's no big deal at all!"

Winry's glare only amplified as she set her hands on her hips. "Figures, you and your brother never tell me anything no matter how nicely I ask." She spared Ivy a quick glance that Ivy knew by heart from the times she'd get in trouble with her mom. The 'we'll be talking later' look. Ivy suppressed a shudder. "I guess I'll have to start looking for a place to stay tonight."

"You can stay at the military hotel in Ivy's room if you want." Edward pointed a thumb in Ivy's direction.

_Ed, you are literally damning me to getting killed tonight._ "Eeeeer, actually I told Mr. Hughes that I'd help him with this birthday party for his daughter so-"

"Oh don't you worry a thing about that, both of you girls can come over today!" Hughes injected, grabbing Winry's toolbox. "The more the merrier! And if it gets too late, you can both stay the night! My wife and daughter would love to have you! I'm not taking no for an answer!"

"B-"

"Now, let me just take the toolbox off your hands here! And let's get moving!"

Ivy had no idea how the man managed to grab both her and Winry from the back of their collars, Edward waving all the while.

* * *

"I think this is the biggest birthday party I've ever been to." Ivy said, jaws agape at the spread Mrs. Hughes prepared. Her mouth watered as she ate yet another slice of the _homemade_ pizza. The closest thing Ivy got to a large-scale party was during elementary school and her mom would bring cupcakes for her class to enjoy for her birthday. After that, Ivy's mother would pick her, Akasha, and Austin up and they'd play video games and eat cake. Elycia's party on the other hand contained at least ten kids and at least one of their parents. _Is this what it's like to be the popular kid at school?_ "You're cooking is amazing, Mrs. Hughes! And your daughter is way more adorable in person."

The girl of the hour was the most adorable thing with her sandy brown hair and green eyes she clearly got from her mother. At the moment, the girl was giggling at a mouse toy as she sat comfortable on Winry's lap as she talked to Mr. Hughes. For the moment, the conversation Winry hinted would be happening later was being stalled and Ivy couldn't be happier.

Gracia Hughes smiled fondly with a soft chuckle, "you'll have to forgive my husband." The woman gestured to the million photos decorating the mantle. "He's very proud of our family."

"Well if I had an adorable family, I'd wanna show off to." Ivy laughed and took another bite of her pizza. "You honestly have to give me your recipe because I'm never buying pizza again if I can!"

"I'll make sure to write it down before you leave then!" Ivy was sure she could hear angels singing in the background. "Do you have any plans coming up for yourself?"

"Eh." Ivy moved her hand in a so-so fashion. She hoped that Hughes didn't tell his wife anything. If Gracia did know anything, her face revealed nothing, her green eyes warm. _I'm overthinking things. She's just being a mom._ "Still figuring things out. I'm kinda just moving around like a tumbleweed right now. But I'll come up with a plan sooner or later, I work best under pressure."

Gracia thankfully didn't Ivy with any judgmental looks. "Sometimes it can take people a bit of time to figure out what they're best at, so don't give up hope. I used to be a florist before I had Elycia."

"You make your own arrangements?" There were several vases placed on mantles and small tables throughout the apartment. "Cool! I can't even keep cactuses alive. We had a class project once to get a cactus flower to blossom and my cactus died in two weeks. So if there's at least one path I can cross off my list, it's anything to do with plants."

Gracia nodded with an amused expression. "It's a fun hobby of mine and it really helps brighten the house." She looked warmly at her husband. "Maes was very adamant that I didn't work a day when we found out I was expecting. I'm sure I'll go back to light floral work when Elycia's old enough, time will tell."

Ivy leaned back against the wall, "I'd love to hear the story of how you two met. Mr. Hughes seems like a really fun guy."

"Oh you don't want to hear that old story." Mrs. Hughes said bashfully waving her ring hand. "Maybe when all the guests have gone and everything's been cleaned up." Just then a guest called Gracia over. "I'll make sure to tell you at some point, just remind me, dear." With that, the woman left Ivy to her own devices on the wall.

Ivy looked out the window, wiping the crumbs on her jeans vaguely paying attention to the sound of the party around her. Nighttime had fallen in Central and the city lights were gleaming. She could see a horse drawn carriage making its way down the street, the lights its guide. Now _that_ wouldn't have been a common sight in Vallant. But in small ways, Central gave her that familiarity of living in something that resembled a city. Vallant was no Los Angeles or Sacramento and it was definitely the most boring place in all of California, but she missed it.

She missed the sound of shoes skirting against the gym floor and the feel of a volleyball at her fingertips.

The sound of the rain pattering on the concrete.

_God, I miss having a TV._ Ivy chuckled lightly to herself. She had just started watching Gossip Girl on Netflix remembering how avidly Rachel Tyce preached it's amazingness on the Most Popular Girls in School. And for all the flip phones and cheesy camera edits, Gossip Girl was an entertaining watch. _Rachel Tyce and Blane had a point, Brittany._ Another quiet laugh escaped Ivy's throat as she thought of the angry cheerleader. _Gossip Girl is a pretty good show._

Ivy released a long sigh wondering if Akasha was watching MPGiS right now. Wondered what her mother was doing right now.

_I might not ever see them again._ Ivy's fingers dug into her forearm. _Do I just… start over or something? Ed and Al are gonna be leaving soon. I dunno their plan but I doubt they're gonna be in Central forever. So… what do I do in the meantime then? Just go back to Resembool?_ Considering her cover story and alleged disowning and lack of funds, it would probably make no sense to anyone if she just said 'yeah, I'm just gonna figure things out here in Central, bai'. _Pinako did say I was always welcome back anytime. So why not start over again there?_

_I'd have my runs with Den._

_My own room._

_And I'd be able to start learning how to make automail and actually earn money off of it and completely blow off going to college._

Ivy blinked.

_That could really be the life._

Ivy didn't have much more time to ponder when she suddenly heard the sound of a gun cocking. _Holy shit._ Ivy's head whipped around so hard she heard her neck crack and was met with the sight of Hughes glaring down at three boys Elycia's age. "Watch it, you little punks. Don't even think about putting your hands on my daughter!"

"Your actions speak too loudly!" Winry yelped. All around them laughter erupted from the adults.

_Protective and proud dad alert._ Ivy sighed in relief. She wouldn't have been able to handle it if there was some guy really trying to bust in wielding a gun. She closed her eyes, leaning against the window sill again.

"What are you looking at?" Ivy opened her eyes and spotted Winry at her left, peering over to see what was outside. Winry exhaled loudly as she took in the view."I already knew that Central was gonna be big as the country's capital but it's still a lot to take in. It feels even bigger at night when you can barely see anything."

Ivy moved a bit to the right, making more room. "Not looking at much, just thinking. What were you and Mr. Hughes talking about?"

Winry's smile was melancholic. "He said that I should just wait and trust that Ed and Al will talk to me when they really need to." She looked back at Ivy. Her blue eyes looked like pools of sapphires in the room's light. _I could stare at those eyes all day and I hate myself for it._ "I just don't get why you didn't tell me anything about the bodyguards."

"I… guess I just felt like it wasn't my place to tell." Ivy had other things going on in her mind at the time and she was pretty sure that the boys wouldn't have wanted her to tell Winry anyway. She would have worried incessantly before demanding they all headed back home. _And we had stuff to do with the Philosopher's Stone. Not that it paid off in the end._ "You woulda just worried the whole time. And I ain't afraid of no Central baddies. Dangerous? Ha. I laugh in the face of danger."

"Well I don't." Winry's voice was quiet as she leaned closer, resting her head on Ivy's shoulder. "I always get worried when they leave somewhere and then come back with Ed's arm all trashed. And Al was in pieces the last time he came around. You're suddenly traveling with them now too. Ed can always transmute Al back together and even if he makes me mad when he breaks it, I can always just rebuild his automail." Winry went on, staring out of the window. But her reflection looked like she was looking far beyond the rooftops across the street. "But what about you? What if… what if whoever did that to them did that to you? I wouldn't be able to do anything. That's why I'm mad you didn't tell me anything. Part of it, at least."

Ivy's face felt hot and her heart stuttered. "I…" she trailed off, unsure of what to say next. "I'm sorry." She said dumbly.

"You have to tell me next time." Winry said not looking up at her the girl beside her. "The next time something like this happens, even if Ed and Al don't, you have to tell me so I don't worry."

"You'd just worry anyway." Ivy joked.

That made Winry's head snap up but her glare light. "Well I won't worry as much if I know _something_." She protested.

Ivy smiled feeling the warmth spreading in her chest. "Okay, okay. I promise to say something if even the littlest bit of trouble pops up, alright?"

A smile, a real one, spread across the engineer's face. "Good. I don't have to throw a wrench at you now."

"I thought that was only if I forgot to call for a long time."

"Well I added some stuff to the list now thanks to all the stuff that came up." Winry closed her eyes and held her hands behind her back. Ivy half expected there to be a wrench. "But now I don't have to throw anything because you promised me."

"Did I ever mention that you seem to love putting me in binding contracts?"

Winry giggled and nudged Ivy's arm. "Only for the important stuff."

Ivy clicked her tongue, "now I don't even wanna tell you the news."

"What news?" Winry's eyes were wide and owlish. Her expression quickly turned to concern. "Did something happen?"

"Yep." Ivy nodded, closing her eyes. "Now that all this stuff has happened with my mom and Ed and Al are gonna be traveling soon, I'm about to be out of a place." Ivy opened an eye, sounding forlorn. "It's pretty tragic if you ask me."

Winry's concern melted away into a knowing smirk. "It does."

"Exactly." Ivy crossed her arms. "So I guess I'll have to head back to Resembool and become an engineer. Honestly, it is such disheartening news. Hey! No punchies!"

But the large grin on Winry's face and the giggles that left her mouth were definitely worth the light punch to the arm.

It would be fine if things went a little slower, Ivy decided. Because she had Winry with her.

* * *

"Thank you so much for letting us both stay here."

Gracia smiled appreciatively at Winry's polite bow. "Are you sure you don't want to stay? You're both welcome to stay as long as you like, you know?"

Ivy rubbed the back of her neck, "I mean, I do already have a hotel room that Ed's been paying for and since he's been in the hospital, he is barely there and I didn't come back last night." Not to mention, you completely left her jersey behind which she had been using as a makeshift bonnet to keep her protected. She could go one night without protective covering on her hair, but like hell would she be going two. "So the staff might be wondering about that." Of course, I could just grab the jersey and my backpack and come back. But I'd feel a little bad if Ed's just paying for an unused room.

"Sissy!" Elycia called, grabbing Winry's hand tightly.

"Someone's got themselves a little friend." Ivy snickered.

"She has grown rather fond of Winry since you've been here." Gracia agreed.

"And you look like you could be sisters!" Hughes added cheerily with a large grin.

Elycia smiled widely with shining eyes. "Come home soon, 'kay?"

Ivy grabbed her chest painfully. "God, she's cute!" She ignored Winry's deadpan expression. Elycia was adorable damn it and Ivy would not let it go unacknowledged. "Don't use the cute as a weakness against us, Elycia, then we'll have to come back!"

Winry shook her head with a sigh but her expression was fond. "Looks like we'll have to come back again tonight, huh?"

"Guess so." Ivy just couldn't refuse an adorable three year old. It was the day after her birthday, it would be rude to deny her wishes. Ivy lifted the girl and blew a raspberry on her cheek, Elycia shrieking and giggling 'noooo'. "You've won against the two of us! I'll just have to bring all my stuff over!"

Elycia tugged on her high puff. "Can I braid your hair later?"

"Of course!" Ivy grinned. After she picked it out so neatly that it wouldn't dare get tangled. She'd just make the parts in large sections. "I've been meaning to cornrow it anyway, it makes it easier to deal with on a daily basis." And she practiced on enough large Sasha Bratz heads to know how to do it. "And big sis Winry can braid yours!" Ivy nodded to the blonde who was smiling herself.

"Looks like we're gonna have a sister sleepover tonight, Elycia!"

* * *

"I can't believe we really got roped into staying at Mr. Hughes again." Ivy stretched as they entered the hospital doors.

"You're the one who's the total softie, Ivy." Winry teased, blue eyes mischievous. "That's why Den always went to you at dinnertime because she knows you'll give her stuff."

Ivy's glare was weak. "I can't just not give her anything. I'm not a monster."

Winry only hummed but her expression read loud and clear that she still thought Ivy was a creampuff. Which was true but Ivy liked to think she seemed tough some of the time. "My Elycia can get anyone to do anything." Hughes chipped in proudly. "She's just like her mother! Always smiling and ready to talk to people! Gracia said she would be making apple pie today so I hope you both are looking forward to it."

Winry clapped her hands in delight, Ivy grinning. Apple pie was the most superior pie to exist.

"Hey, Ross! Denny!" Ivy waved as the two bodyguards came into view. "How are our favorite pair of brothers?"

"Did Ed drink his milk?" Winry asked, sounding more than a bit doubtful.

Maria saluted with a smile, "I'm quite sure he didn't." She answered truthfully.

Winry rolled her eyes, "of course he didn't." She sighed. "Come on, Ivy, let's go force him to drink it." The blonde beckoned as she rested a hand on the doorknob. Ivy extremely doubted anyone could get the boy to do th-

"I never asked for this damn body!" Came a shout as the door opened. A stool fell to the floor as Alphonse stood rigidly. "I never asked… for this damn body!"

Ivy's feet felt glued to the floor, Edward looking as shocked as Ivy felt. "I… I'm sorry, Al." Golden eyes were downcast, staring at his plate. "You're right. It's my fault that all of this happened. That's why I want to get you back to normal as soon as possible."

"Is there really any guarantee that we can get our original bodies back?" Alphonse spat bitterly. His large fists trembled angrily as his red eyes glared at his older brother.

Edward smiled weakly. "I'll get you back to normal, Al. I promise. You just have to believe me!"

"Believe you!?" Alphonse mocked, gesturing to himself. "How am I supposed to believe anything in this empty shell of a body?!" The boy demanded. He gestured at himself again, metal muscles creaking loudly. "According to alchemical theory, human beings are composed of a physical body, mind, and soul! But has anyone ever verified that in an experiment?!" Alphonse continued. "Memories are nothing but data when you really think about it. It should be possible to artificially reconstruct them!"

"Al, what are you sa-"

"On our way to the Fifth Laboratory you told me there was something you were too afraid to tell me."

Ivy felt Winry freeze by her side.

"Maybe what you wanted to tell me was that my soul and my memories are all fake and that they were created artificially!" Brown eyes locked on Edward. Alphonse? A fake? Edward wouldn't have done that, right? _Akasha would have mentioned something like that!_ Ivy's brain racked for any recollection of that conversation coming up. There were pictures of Alphonse all over the Rockbell's picture wall! But Alphonse wasn't finished, taking a step forward. "Well 'big brother'!" He mocked again. "Can you prove that a person named Alphonse Elric really existed?! Or have you, Winry, and Granny and everyone else been lying to me this whole time!? Well Edward?!"

Edward's hand slammed on the table holding his food and Ivy flinched. "You were… keeping all that bottled up this whole time? Is that what you wanted to tell me?"

Alphonse said nothing.

Ivy's heart could have broken at the sad smile on Edward's face. "I see." The blonde said, the quietest Ivy had ever heard him speak. "Okay." With that, Edward stood up.

"Ed-" Ivy stopped herself as the boy walked right passed her, Winry calling out to him to no avail.

When the boy didn't turn around, Winry turned back to Alphonse. "Al, you…" Ivy blinked, more than a little scared when she saw the biggest wrench in her lifetime in Winry's hand. "YOU IDIOT!" She screeched, her wrench making immediate contact with Alphonse's face the moment he turned around.

The amount of shudders that passed through the room was insane. _Where in the fuck was she keeping that!? Her toolbox isn't even here!_

"W-Winry-"

Alphonse was cut off as another swing came to his head. "Al, you're such an idiot!" The unmistakable sound of Winry's sniffles filled the air. "You don't have any idea how Ed feels, do you!? The thing that Ed was too afraid to talk to you about? He wants to know if you blame him for what happened to your body, Al! And then you… And then you went and said that!" Winry collapsed onto her knees, wrench striking Alphonse's breastplate. "Who would ever do something like that, Al?! What idiot would ever risk his own life to create a fake younger brother?! Don't you get it?!" Winry wiped her eyes, her right hand with the wrench coming to ground after one last weak strike. "All you have left is each other."

Alphonse's armor clinked as he looked at the ground.

"Now go get your brother!" The girl demanded fiercely and when Alphonse got up too slowly for her liking, Winry snapped again. "What are you waiting for? Start running!"

"Y-yes, ma'am!" Alphonse whimpered, bolting out the door.

"Ooooh god." Ivy clutched her chest as Winry stood up, wiping the rest of her tears.

"Someone had to knock some sense into him." Winry sniffed angrily. "He's so stupid!"

"Where did you even get that wrench?!"

"My pocket, duh! Don't ask stupid questions right now!" Ivy's eyes bulged out their sockets as she looked at what had to be the smallest pockets in a skirt ever. "We have to go make sure Alphonse is apologizing!" Winry grabbed Ivy's wrist as she bolted down the hall Alphonse had gone.

"S-shouldn't we give them privacy!?"

"We have to be there to throw another wrench at Al's head if he says something stupid!"

Ivy sighed in exasperation as they ran up staircase after staircase, Mr. Hughes not too far behind. 'Kids and their wrenches' she heard the man barely whisper under his breath. _No no, Winry and _her_ wrenches._ Ivy corrected in her mind. She seriously hoped that she'd never be within firing range of that thing.

By the time they had gotten to the roof, (how Winry knew they had to have been on the roof, Ivy had no idea) the two brothers were laying on the ground fist bumping. "Looks like you won't need to throw a wrench, after all." Which was great since Ivy wasn't sure how much more Alphonse's armor could take.

Winry nodded with a smile. "Mr. Hughes," she started, looking at the scene happily. "maybe you don't have to say something out loud but it sure is helpful sometimes."

Hughes smiled himself, "I guess you're right."

* * *

"I'm still trying to figure out how your pocket can hold a wrench that big without anyone noticing." It had been a few days since Alphonse quite literally had some sense knocked into him and Ivy still had yet to figure out the secret behind the Mary Poppins-like pockets Winry had in her skirt.

"You're still thinking about that?" Winry laughed, clutching an envelope.

They were on their way back from the train station, buying tickets for a place called Dublith. It was hard to believe that she would already be heading back to Resembool considering the big deal she made about going home. Then the Philosopher's Stone thing happened and here Ivy was. Her short journey was over for now as Edward and Alphonse would be going back to their teacher's. "Obviously!" She exclaimed. "That wrench was _huge_! And you just had it in your pocket?"

"Well how else is a girl supposed to protect herself when she's in the big city?" Winry countered, raising an eyebrow. "This isn't Resembool so I wanted to make sure I was safe!"

"I don't even have a good rebuttal for that. That's actually really smart."

"That's why you should start carrying yours with you." Winry said pointedly. "I gave you that toolbox for a reason."

"I thought it was for light maintenance."

"And protection!" Winry laughed.

_I'm done with her._ "I'll keep that in mind from now on if we ever go to another big city." _Whenever that's gonna be._ Ivy thought.

"We're back!" Winry announced when they finally arrived at Edward's hospital room. "Um, what's wrong with you guys?" She asked when she noticed how Edward and Alphonse and even Hughes and Armstrong were staring out the window.

"Oh nothing… just a storm passing through." Edward coughed.

"A storm?" Ivy cocked her head to the right. She shot Winry a look. "We were just outside and the weather was great."

Winry shrugged, "I stopped asking about stuff like this a long time ago." She held up the tan envelope. "We got the envelopes you guys wanted for Dublith."

"Must you rush?" Armstrong inquired, his blue eyes staring Edward down. "Your wounds haven't even completely healed yet."

Edward scoffed at the man's concern. "I can't stay in a place that smells like disinfectant forever! I'm leaving tomorrow." He gave Alphonse's back a hearty pat. "With the way things have been going, we decided to go back to Dublith and visit our old alchemy teacher and-" he paused when he noticed Alphonse's trembling.

"I think I'm too scared, Brother." He whimpered. "There's no way she's not gonna kill us!"

Tears streamed comically down the older Elric's face. "Don't you chicken out on me, Al! I'm scared too!"

Ivy scrunched her face. Yeah, she was definitively glad that she didn't decide to go with alchemy. "Where's Dublith at anyway?" She asked. She was supposed to know this world like the back of her hand in most people's eyes, so she might as well learn more about Amestris' geography.

Alphonse tore away from his and Edward's scared brother bundle, pointing at Dublith's name on a map that happened to be on a table. "Oh, it's right here. Right in the middle of Southern Amestris."

"Oh co-" Ivy froze when she saw the name right above Dublith. "Yo, _Winry_." She whistled. "Come look at this."

"What is i-" Winry's jaw went slack before she let out a gleeful scream.

"W-what is it!?" Alphonse winced.

"Look, right before Dublith!" Winry spun around dramatically and Ivy swore that for the briefest of seconds she saw blooming red roses and sparkles appear. "It's the holy land of automail engineering!" Winry practically sang, extending one of her arms dramatically in the air. "It's _Rush_ _Valley_!" Winry's eyes were gleaming like stars as she shook her arms excitedly. "We have to go, we have to go, we have to go, you have to take us!"

"Go there yourself!" Edward crossed his arms.

"Someone has to pay for my travel fare!"

"Well why does it have to be me!? Make Ivy do it, she's the one into engineering!"

"Yeah, um, I'm broke?" Ivy coughed, taking a step away. "I can't pay for jack."

"See?! So you have to take us!"

"I don't have to take you guys anywhere!" Edward snapped.

"Oh what's the harm?" Alphonse shrugged. "It _is_ on the way."

"... Fine." Edward grumbled, looking away. "Only if Al wants to."

Ivy grinned and leaned playfully into Alphonse's armor. "Way to go, Alphonse! This is why you're my favorite younger brother!" She completely ignored Edward's 'hey!' as Winry spun around gleefully. "Looks like we're finally going to Rush Valley!" Ivy pumped a fist.

"We are!" Winry bounced, giving Ivy a tight squeeze. "I have to tell, Granny! This is totally worth a change of plans! I'll be right back!" Winry declared, jogging to the door.

"She's gonna make someone a fine wife someday." Hughes said once she was no longer within hearing distance. "Not as great as my wife of course, but she'll make someone very happy."

Ivy's warm feeling turned cold.

Just when she thought the bitterness left her.

* * *

"Are the two of you obsessed with fighting or something?" Winry asked from her seat beside Ivy on the train. "I can't believe you're going to Dublith just to get better at fighting."

Edward scowled from the seats directly in front of them. "The reasons aren't that simple, geez." He grumbled. "Al and I have been losing too many fights lately, so we need to get stronger physically. And we also need to get stronger on the inside too."

"And is there a second reason?" Winry crossed her arms.

Alphonse nodded, "we wanted to ask our teacher about transmuting human beings." The younger Elric answered. "The whole time we trained together, our teacher never taught us anything about the Philosopher's Stone or human transmutation."

"And the closer we get to the Stone, the more dangerous it gets." Edward added, placing his chin on his hand. "So we thought the best thing to do would be to ask our teacher directly about whether there's a way to get our bodies back to normal. And other stuff." The look Edward sent Ivy was so brief she almost missed it.

"Well, I'm wishing you luck."

A nod was returned. "We can't afford to be timid anymore." Edward continued. "We have to go ahead and ask her, even if it means that we get killed….. She's gonna kill us when she finds out what happened."

Gloom filled the air in record timing as the lighting on the train made it look as if tears were streaking down Alphonse's face. "I wish I could have at least gotten myself a girlfriend before I died."

"Maybe y'all should get a different teacher, damn." Ivy shuddered.

"Well, at least there's something that might cheer you up." Winry shuffled the bag she had received from Gracia earlier. Ivy's mouth watered as the blonde whipped out the large apple pie Gracia had made that morning. Winry had helped while Ivy kept Elycia distracted with tickle games. "Tah-dah!" She announced proudly. "I helped Mrs. Hughes make it!"

"It sure is _big_." Edward sweated.

Winry gave a nervous chuckle, "yeah, I think she made enough for four people." Winry carefully passed Ivy and Ed some slices to start. "At least we know we'll have extra to spare in case we get hungry again. We can have apple pie for breakfast."

"You can have _my_ share, Ed." Ivy was sure the boy would be grinning if he had the ability to.

"God this is the best apple pie I've ever tasted." Ivy moaned with her first bite. It was like the heavens themselves had blessed upon Gracia the skill of badass cooking. "Mrs. Hughes is an amazing cook."

Winry nodded in agreement. "She taught me the recipe so I'll make it for you when you get your original body, Al." Ivy could only wonder what anyone who might have been listening in on this conversation would be thinking they were talking about without the context. But it looked like no one had even batted an eyelash.

"I guess this is what you call 'real home cooking'." Edward munched out praises an old man would deliver.

"Okay, Grandpa." Ivy snickered slapping away a gloved hand that was surely trying to give her a light swat.

Winry giggled at the exchange. "Mr. Hughes has such a nice family. I really loved staying with them."

Ivy smiled fondly herself thinking about the man. Even when she thought she was in the deepest shit, he still managed to stay calm and smile reassuringly. "You know, I don't really know my dad. I get calls from him sometimes but nothing more than that. Mr. Hughes is like those dads you see in family movies that you project onto." Ivy blinked when she felt a leg brush against her own and saw Winry giving her a small smile.

It's okay, her expression read.

Ivy nodded again in appreciation. "He's a really nice guy."

"More like smothery." Edward puffed his cheeks. "_I_ didn't ask Superdad to follow me around all the time."

"But he would still come to your hospital room all the time just to talk to you." Alphonse reminded his brother.

"Every damn day." Edward mumbled over the last bit of his apple pie. "Even when he would go on about how busy things were at work, he'd manage to make time to visit me everyday." Despite his gruff tone, a smile was on Edward's face as he went on.

"We should figure out something nice to do for him the next time we're there." Alphonse suggested, looking at his brother.

"Yeah." Edward said fondly. "We should."

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

And here is chapter 13! 2 updates, 1 day.

I forgot how much fun I have writing this story.

Speaking of which, the gang is finally heading to Rush Valley where a new arc of the story begins! A metaphorical reset for the cast as Edward and Alphonse decide to backtrack and study under their teacher once more and Winry and Ivy head to the holy land of automail engineering. Man, I have been waiting to finally bring this arc to life and I hope you guys have to. It might seem smug to toot my own horn (but fuck that, Author Confidence ain't a crime!), but I do feel like I'm doing a good job so far with Ivy as a character compared to her first incarnation I came up with when I was like… 14? I feel like she is a lot more grounded a character and that I am keeping things surprisingly realistic for an Another World fic. And the bit with Hughes? I enjoyed writing. I loved the Another World FMA fic trope for a long time and with basically every OC being someone who was an established fan of the show, the train is always one of guilt since they knew and never stopped it knowing Hughes' death acted as a catalyst for the series.

I really wanted to bring something different with Ivy's character especially considering how cliche she was originally. I guess I realized over time that just because your OC isn't involved in the heavy shit or big scenes canon characters may be in, it doesn't make your OC any less valid.

I feel like during the hype of 'FMA Another World' fics on FFN, one major problem developing writers had was inserting their OC into scenes that maaaybe they shouldn't have been in unless the story actually required it. Like, an OC with zero fighting ability being shoved into moments like the Fifth Lab if there really is no reason for the character to be there (which I admittedly did with Ivy in the og AFD, I am not guiltless of this). Ivy may be a physical character but from how I write her, there was no reason I had to justify her actually being there if I felt that Edward and Alphonse would stop her immediately. And in the original incarnation of Ivy, she was just a couch potato so her going there would have made even less sense. (And just because I know how longwinded I can get, you can bet that this got really long. So to do y'all a favor, I wrote everything that would be here in my profile. If anyone reading this has been interested in writing their own FMA fic involving an OC protagonist, check out my profile for some tips and tricks you might find useful.)

Anyway to avoid making my author's note an essay, I'll stop here. I hope some of you guys check out my on-profile essay and tell me what you think. And feel free to send me messages!

And of course, I love it when y'all leave reviews! Talk to you next time, I'm working on ch15 now!


	14. Sweet Holy Automail and a Grumpy Old Man

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** Ivy has it rough. She's no anime fan or FMA fan. But when she somehow crosses the gate, she finds herself in the worst possible position: a protagonist of an Another World fic trope. And between the alchemy, automail, lack of plot knowledge, and struggling with her attraction to a pretty blonde mechanic, Ivy reluctantly teams up with the main characters in her journey to get home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

"That automail! Can it be!?"

Blue and brown eyes were wide, light and dark hands pressed firmly against warm glass. "It's the 11th generation model from God's Studio!" Winry squealed. "It's actually here! I never thought there'd be a day I'd get to see God's Studio automail with my very own eyes!" The girl said in absolute awe of the creation in front of them. "Perfectly polished steel! The fingers are so symmetrical!"

"And the price tag has so many zeroes. Imagine being skilled enough an engineer to justify selling at this price!" Ivy winced at the 10,000,000 sens price tag attached to the piece. But damn if it wasn't aesthetically pleasing to look at. "And is that a design for an automail _heart_?" Ivy noted the poster taped onto the display of the perfect steel replication of the right and left atriums and ventricles and the aorta. "I thought the books said this was just a pipe theory!" Artificial knees and fingers were one thing, but a heart?

Winry only swooned as she saw the design itself, "if any studio can make that theory a reality, it's God's Studio!" The blonde squealed.

Co-founders Reiner Weber and Kurtis Wagner stood there in the flesh. Reiner, a tall and lanky man, talking with three customers with models that looked unfamiliar to what Ivy had seen before in the catalogue spreads for their studio. Kurtis, a heavier set and stout man, was in a far corner giving a woman's leg a tune up. Ivy had never even seen _two_ people at the same time at Pinako's shop ready to order automail. "Geez, I'd kill to have three customers at Pinako's for the experience."

"I wanna go in but I don't wanna bother them." Winry whined, nodding in agreement. Save for the long distance orders the Rockbells would get from time to time, most of the customers living locally used traditional prosthetics. It wasn't as if they were all just flocking to the shop daily either."The service they give must be amazing to draw in automail users from other engineers! You just can't get this sort of clientele in Resembool."

"Do the two of you even hear yourselves?" Edward groaned. "This isn't some fancy clothes store releasing its new fashion line, you know. Automail junkies."

"Oh shut up, alchemy junkie!" Winry snapped but the excited gleam in her eyes didn't falter. "I'm actually here! I'm in Rush Valley in the flesh!"

Her bubbliness was contagious. "To think it only took fifteen years." She joked as she dragged a reluctant Winry from the display window. "Now to see everything else this place has to offer. I wanna check out a forge or two while we're over here. Think your grandma will let us make one to save up on cash?"

"I doubt it." Winry pouted though the pout didn't stay for long. She was quickly beaming the moment she saw a display automail hands and feet. "I've never seen this much automail in my life!"

Alphonse leaned over, taking in the view himself. "This place is really bustling. I don't think I've ever seen this much automail in one place either and your house always had some sort of automail lying around."

Winry nodded, clearly excited that at least one half of the Elric brothers was taking some sort of interest in the city. "After the Civil War, the prosthetics industry here exploded!" The blonde explained to the younger Elric. "So it's no wonder this place is known as the 'Boomtown of the Broken Down'. It sounds really empowering, like even after losing limbs the people here won't stay down!"

"Amen to that." Ivy pumped a fist and the two girls exchanged a high-five. "Not to mention this is the automail holy land."

"Yep!" Winry chirped, leading the way to another stand that happened to be carrying very fancy monkey wrenches. "As long as battles keep flaring up around this country, there will always be a demand for the goods and services this city offers, so it's supposed to always be busy here." Winry rested her hands on her hips. "As much as I love automail though, I pray for the day when this business won't be so prosperous."

As long as those battles flared, the more automail people needed.

And if people needed automail, it meant those people lost something vital to themselves.

If there was one thing that could make Ivy give the automail industry the side eye, it was the way it had to benefit from the loss and suffering of others. But at least the people here seem to be happy. She smiled to herself as she took in the loud chatter and large smiles.

"We have the best prices!"

"50% off your first purchase! Customer satisfaction guaranteed!"

"Come and check out our newest models! We have the best legs this side of Rush Valley!"

Ivy hummed in satisfaction. This was the kind of place you could walk around at ease and not worry about sketchy people. "I am vibing with this place right now." The girl declared. "The people here look really friendly."

"Vibing?" Edward repeated incredulously. "How the hell do you 'vibe' with a place?"

"You know, dude." Ivy gave the shorter boy a nudge. "You just feel the vibes from the atmosphere of the buildings and the people and see if you like it! And I'm vibing with this place right now."

Edward rolled his eyes, "I don't think I'll ever 'vibe' to a place full of automail. We shoulda just left you and Winry here and headed straight to Dublith. There's nothing to do here!"

"Gather around folks for some machine arm wrestling! Attention to all you automail users! Are you lookin' to win some serious cash?!" An emcee suddenly yelled, a large crowd enveloping a corner not too far away. Ivy shot Edward a look the boy returned with a glare. So much for there not being anything to do. "It's a mere 10,000 sens to enter and if you beat our reigning champ, you'll walk away with this mountain of money!"

Winry gave a giddy bounce, "I wanna see this!"

Ivy jogged to her side. "Gosh that dude is huge!" Ivy gaped at the man. He was tanned with a weird tri-hawk and he was at least as tall as Alphonse, both of his arms were automail. "Even one of his arms is basically my entire width! And those screws? How big are they?!"

"I know that model!" Winry pressed her hands to her cheek with a gasp. "That's from Pierre's ninth generation line! The strength on that thing is insane!"

A man shoulder past them, windmill stretching his right arm. "All right, let me give this a shot!" He strutted confidently as he set a bill of money on the stash that had already accumulated. "I just got this brand new model arm today and I've been dying to test it out."

"Great!" The emcee announced grinning widely as the two men locked hands. "Looks like we've got ourselves a real fighter here! Contests, are you ready?!" When both men nodded, the emcee brought down his arm. "Fight!"

Ivy swore she blinked and the next thing she knew, she heard the sound of metal being ripped apart as screws and wires flew through the air. _This nigga literally got this arm _today_, oh my god_. "My bad!" The large man gloated, not sounding sorry at all. "Here, lemme put this where it belongs. With the rest of the scrap." He carelessly tossed the arm behind him.

The loser barely had enough time to mourn before various automail engineers in the area began to swarm him. "Need a fix?!"

"Broken arm, huh?!"

"If you need a new arm, come to our shop!"

"No, let me do it!"

"At least let me give you an estimate!"

The swarm increased, dragging the helpless man into the window as he screeched: "Hel me! I still have payments to make on this one!"

The only response he was met with was a gruff, "if you can't pay out of pocket, you can work it off! I'll even take monthly installments!"

Ivy shuddered. _Pinako wasn't exaggerating when she said that the people here were fanatics._ "You know what? I think I can see why your grandma decided to set up shop in Resembook cause, oh boy."

Winry laughed bashfully. "At least I'm not _that_ bad."

"So who's next?" The emcee cut in, eyes landing on Alphonse. "Ah you, sir! You look like a strapping fellow! Why don't you give it a shot?"

Alphonse shook his head immediately, "No no, I'm fine!"

"Then how about the youngman with the automail arm?!" The emcee's beady eyes swept over Edward before he shook his head. "D'oh, my bad! What am I thinking? A little sprout like you wouldn't offer any competition! Are there any _grownups_ that would like to try?"

_Uh oh._ Ivy winced as vein after vein burst on Edward's forehead. "Edward, before you do anythin- and he's adding money to the pot."

"Ed, what are you thinking!?" Winry yelped flusteredly as the boy glowered at the taller man. "You don't stand a chance! I don't have the material to fix your arm immediately if you break it!"

The cries only served to fall on death ears as Edward locked hands with his opponent and Winry sighed. "He's gonna get his entire shoulder ripped off, Ivy." Ivy offered her best 'I feel you' smile, resting a hand on Winry's shoulder. "And who's gonna have to fix it? Me."

"At least this is another way to test tensile strength?" Ivy offered.

She received a playful shove in return.

"Ready! Fight!"

Ivy crossed her fingers hoping for a miracle. She knew damn well that Winry would throw her entire toolbox at Edward's face if he lost after she explicitly warned him not to compete. Ivy opened her mouth, preparing Alphonse that on behalf of everyone she was sorry for his loss when Edward ripped the man's arms to shreds. Ivy's blinked twice.

"Sorry about that." Edward glowered with a devious grin, crushing his opponents separated forearm even more. "The scrap collector's gonna be real busy today, huh?" Another swarm ensued as Edward chortled loudly in his victory, gathering the spoils of his victory. He looked more like a greedy tax collector than the hero of an anime series. _FullGreedy Alchemist._

Alphonse only shook his head at his brother's antics, "he used alchemy to change his opponent's arm into a weaker substance." He whispered to the girls.

Winry crossed her arms in dismay, "that's cheating, Edward."

_I mean, if you wanna be fair…_ Ivy thought. _The emcee never said you couldn't use alchemy._ The athlete doubted that Winry would see it that way though especially not when Edward was in the middle of an arrogant villain laugh. "Your brother is something else, Alphonse."

"Haha… yeah."

"Hey, I've never seen that style of automail around here." A man said, finally interrupting Edward's guffaw.

"Woah you're right." Another engineer gaped, lifting Edward's arm closer to his monocle. "Just look at the intricacy of the metalwork!"

Winry's dismay was exchanged for excitement, "It was me! I made it!" She said proudly, taking a step forward.

Ivy leaned against Alphonse with a smile. "These guys are always on a roll, it looks." She hummed as the crowd surrounding Edward increased. "At least you're somehow safe."

"I'm not sure if I'd be able to handle being in Brother's position right now." Alphonse said right as Edward's clothes seem to disappear in exchange for examining his leg, Winry explaining animatedly the work that went into making it. "In fact, I'm pretty sure if our places were switched, he'd just let being tall go to his head."

Ivy choked easily able to imagine a taller, armor-bodied Edward knocking people out of the way and going on about how hard it was to notice anybody now that he was so big. "According to multiverse theory, there's a version of you two where you're the one with the automail and he's the one with the armor, you know. So knowing that, he'd probably just punch one of these engineers for bothering you. Well, I guess it isn't really much of a theory now since just my being here confirms the multiverse is real."

Alphonse's body trembled in horror. "I'm not sure I'd wanna trade places with the other Alphonse then. I don't think I'd be able to stop him from punching basically everyone if they make him mad."

"CAN YOU GUYS JUST QUIT IT!" Edward swatted away his 'assailants' when he was brought down to his briefs. "I can use a little help here, Winry!"

"Oh don't be so rude, they just wanna closer look!" Winry replied coolly. "Everybody here is very devoted to their research. It's just like Central being an alchemy hub!"

Edward's eyebrow twitched as he was finally able to dress himself again, muttering under his breath. "So where to next?" Ivy took a step forward at her fellow automail enthusiast. "We've got a lot to cover if we're gonna be here for a whole day! Should we find some blacksmiths or look for engineer's on their down time and ask for tips?"

Winry opened her mouth to answer but Edward's trembling voice halted her. "Oh _no_." The boy pulled out his pants pockets frantically.

"What's wrong, Brother?"

"It's gone." Edward whispered hoarsely. "The thing that proves I'm a State Alchemist… my silver watch, gone."

"What?!" Alphonse exclaimed, looking at the floor rapidly. "How did you lose something that important, Brother?!"

"It was on my belt loop before my clothes were taken off!" Edward's gold eyes were frantic as he checked his jacket's pockets. Ivy winced at the scene, squatting herself to see if the pocket watch had somehow managed to get underfoot in the hyena-like tendencies of the surrounding mechanics. _There's gotta be a silver glint or something._ "Damn it! How could this happen when we weren't even planning on being here that long!"

"Sounds like you've been hit by Paninya." A man with short hair and a mustache and a scope on his right eye piped up from a nearby shop, Ashiya. "She's a pickpocket in the area who targets tourists."

"What?!" Edward took a step forward, arms moving frantically. "Do you know where I can find this Paninya girl?! Please, she took something important!"

The man glanced at his partner, a bald man, before nodding. "Well, we might be able to tell you if we had something to jog our memory." Their eyes were glinting and fingers were wriggling creepily. "If we can just have one look at that automail!"

Edward, in turn, clapped his hands and transmuted his arm into a blade before they wearily pointed in a direction. "She's in the West Alley!" Scope man yelped.

"She sells her spoils to the Glotz pawn shop!"

Ivy closed her eyes and clasped her hands into the prayer hands of disbelief. The mechanics here were like vultures. _I'm glad I left my phone at our hotel._ Ivy thought as her group of friends jogged to where this West Alley had to have been. _Let's just hope we can get Ed's shit back before he has an aneurysm._

* * *

_Or before he destroys the town._

Ivy pursed her lips as she watched the chaos ensue as Edward chased Paninya the pickpocket from rooftop to rooftop, transmuting everything in his path to giant walls to even giant hands for the past fifteen minutes in counting. "Guys, I'm starting to wonder if there's even gonna be a Rush Valley by the time Ed gets her in Al's transmutation circle." She voiced as she looked at the giant transmutation circle the younger Elric had drawn, explaining the plan to draw the pickpocket in and and cage her in order to get Edward's watch back.

"Haha… yeah." Alphonse chuckled. "We're gonna have a lot to fix by the time Brother's done getting his watch back." He sighed the moment he caught eye of Edward and Paninya falling through a roof. "And there's another building."

Winry crossed her arms, an eyebrow twitching. "I swear, trouble follows you both around like honey attracts flies." The blonde sighed, looking through a telescope. "So much for a calm and peaceful trip to Rush Valley."

"According to my best friend, things going wrong is half the excitement of a trip." Ivy muttered. Of course, when Akasha had said that it was when their phones both died during a trip to an anime convention she dragged Ivy too since her father, Peter, wouldn't allow her to go alone. The phone needed to make sure they'd be able to find their ride when they would finally have to go home. It also didn't help that both of them forgot their phone chargers in Peter's car when he drove off. "So things will probably work out." Just as she said that, Paninya jogged smugly out of a building and, miraculously, into the transmutation circle.

"I've been waiting for you." Alphonse wasted no time readying his hands, electric blue shocks filling the air and a bright line shining and iron bars began to envelope the girl.

"Well done, Al!" Winry praised and Ivy nodded.

"Yeah, he didn't destroy anything."

The joke went ignored as Edward appeared sweating heavily and laughing evilly, "you managed to best me before but now I've finally got you, girl." He said, wiping the sweat off of his chin. He sounded just like a cheesy movie villain Batman or something would fight before getting to the main baddie of the film._ How does the good guy of an anime sound like a villain half the time?_ "Now give me back my watch!" The blond demanded.

"I'd stand back if I were you." Paninya lifted her right leg nonchalantly. "If you don't wanna get hurt."

"Says the girl trapped in a-" Edward narrow managed to dodge the bars of iron that flew through the air.

Paninya's grin was downright arrogant as the light glinted off the blade that stuck out of a steel leg. "What's with the surprised look on your face?" She said, finally setting her leg down when her blade retracted. "You've seen the town! And get a load of this!" Paninya lifted her leg and Ivy nearly lost her balance at the explosion that followed. "My other leg has a 1.5 inch canon in it!"

_Both of her legs are automail and she's that coordinated?_ Ivy shot a wary glance at Winry, not at all surprised at the sight. Winry's eyes were narrowed like a hawk, expression in awe.

"Wait get back here!" Edward snapped, drawing Ivy's attention once more in time to see Paninya bolting right passed her and Winry.

"No way, why don't you try and catch me!"

Ivy was also not surprised when Winry's hand shot out faster than she could blink, a hand clamped tightly around the pickpocket's wrist. "Winry, please. This isn't the time to-"

"Good job, Winry! Don't let go of that little thief!" A brother shouted, clearly misguided in what they believed Winry was doing.

"Trust me, I'm not letting her get away." A wide grin spread across Winry's face and stars were gleaming in her eyes. "Not yet anyway! Not until I can get a better look at that automail!"

Ivy sighed as Edward and Alphonse collapsed in shock. There was no stopping Winry at all when she got like this. The girl making quick work of removing Paninya shoes after they had managed to keep her tied down to keep her from running away. "This is just amazing! Just amazing!" Winry squealed and Ivy sighed, patting Edward and Alphonse on the head and they sat down.

"Sorry about her." Ivy sighed once again while Winry swooned in her examinations over the suspension system and balance.

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose, "there's no need to apologize at all, I don't even know why I'm surprised." They could be in the most dangerous situation known to man but if their attacker had automail, Winry would find a way to examine it. "At least you're not right over there with her, or I'd have to toss you into the sun."

"I like to think my fascination with automail has limits." Ivy replied.

"Paninya, you have to tell me who engineered your automail!" Winry stood up, eyes wide like a child's.

"Sure thing!" Ivy didn't like the look on Paninya's face as she nodded her head. "He lives way out in the mountains though, so you'll need a guide." Ivy could already see where this was going. "But don't worry, I can be your guide! But in exchange, you let me off the hook for picking your friend's pocket!"

"Sure, no problem!"

"Hold it!" Edward stood up, temples bulging on his forehead. "That's not your decision, Winry! We're turning her over to the military police!"

"It was just a little harmless pickpocketing!" Winry yelled back.

"Harmless?! That woman's a menace to the town!" Edward pointed at the damaged buildings behind him.

"Hey, aren't you the guy who ruined my shop?" A man appeared suddenly with a less-than-thrilled expression.

"He messed up my rooftop too!"

"And my chimney!"

"He and his brother traumatized my little Julie!"

"Hurry up and fix what you broke, you little brat!"

_This is a mess._ Ivy looked on as Winry and Paninya gabbed while Edward and Alphonse did clean up duty. By the time they finished, the plans were solidified with Paninya standing freely.

"This changes nothing!" Edward snapped, panting heavily. "I'm still gonna turn her over to the MPs and I'm gonna get my watch back!"

"It's a good thing we left our luggage at our lodgings!" Winry smiled at Paninya. The cry fell on deaf ears.

One of Edward's eyes switched and Alphonse pinched the back of his brother's collar. "Um, Ivy?" The boy asked softly. "Do you think you could pull Winry back down to earth before my brother explodes?"

Y_eah because I'm pretty sure your brother is this close to sister snapping on everybody within a three mile radius._ Ivy patted Alphonse on the back as she walked towards the excited engineer. "Uh Winry, Ed might have a point here. I get you're excited but she _did_ steal from him." Winry's eyebrows knitted closely, looking confused. "And she hasn't even given Ed back his watch so-"

"But this is really important to me." Ivy flinched as Winry looked downcast, blue eyes darkening.

…

Ivy coughed awkwardly before she looked back at Edward and Alphonse. "Maybe we can have her arrested _after_ Winry meets her engineer." Ivy suggested, Winry squealing happily as she tackled Ivy with a hug. _I'm so weak._

"Ivy, you're _weak_!" The girl's suggestion was met with Edward trying to escape Alphonse's arms. "God damn it, why are you being so soft on her! You're no help at all! This is what I get for bringing you both here in the first place!"

Despite his incessant shrieking, that didn't stop their quartet from heading to the mountains. Ivy eyed the walkway's edge with a worried expression, a ravine sloshing just below. She creeped closer to the mass of rock to her right. "Is there a reason your engineer decided to base his shop on death's edge?"

"Yup." Paninya lead on nonchalantly. "He says he can find better quality ore for automail out here. Plus, he isn't really a people person so the further his shop was from time, the better the location."

"Well you definitely have to be serious about wanting this guy to make something for you if you have to make this hike here." Ivy wiped the sweat from her forehead. She was glad she oiled the crap out of her before they got here otherwise she was sure that her hair would be fried. _I need to get a headscarf and wrap this up._ She thought as Edward was once again rebuffed in his attempt to get his watch back.

Ivy was more than relieved when a house came into view. "Let me just let them know there are guests here!" Paninya skipped to the door, opening it without a care in the world.

It didn't take long for a young man to peek his head out the door, his eyes bulging when they landed on the Elrics. "Woah he's huge! And he's small!"

The fuming that ensued was ignored as Paninya swept a hand over to Winry. "This is Winry, she's an engineer who's interested in automail at the shop."

"Well, it's unusual for a girl your age to be interested in automail." The man said, recomposing himself, his expression was kind. "But we'll certainly answer the questions that you have. Come on in. Satera, Dad, we have guests!"

"That's Dominic?" Winry leaned to whisper. "He doesn't seem all that unfriendly to me."

"No, no, that's not him. That's his son, Ridel." Paninya laughed. "Dominic is a _lot_ more unfriendlier."

A pregnant woman walked out the door holding a tray of iced tea, "my father-in-law is on his way, right now. Please have a seat!"

"That walk almost killed me." Winry sighed in relief as she took a seat on a stool. "Thank you for the tea."

"This is why I say you need to exercise more." Ivy hummed, ignoring the weak glare she received for her statement. Paninya took her own seat at the table, sipping happily. "You should join me on my morning jogs and this hike will be a breeze." Winry whimpered at the thought. "Oh don't be such a baby, it'll be fun!"

A few moments later, a tall tanned man with gray hair and a purple bandanna on his shoulders. "Which of you are interested in learning about my automail?" His voice sounded like gravel and his lips were pulled down in a permanent scowl.

"We are!" Winry raised a hand excitedly as the man took a seat on the last stool available. "My friend and I are both really interested in your work!" She continued. "The work you've done is just lovely, you're an amazing engineer! The suspension system was so advanced and the steel is really light and we were wondering if we could learn more about it!"

_We?_ Ivy barely stopped herself from snickering. It wasn't far off from the truth, combat automail certainly intrigued her. Though she wouldn't say that she was the one yearning to learn the old man's techniques. She spared a glance at Edward and Alphonse, happy to see they were able to entertain themselves through talking with Satera and Ridel. "Internal automail carbines are the culmination of my life long dream." Dominic said, drawing Ivy's attention back to him.

Paninya rolled her eyes, crossing her legs. "Who in his right mind dreams of installing something like that in a young girl?"

"Silence!" Dominic hissed sharply. "You have no right to criticize my artistry."

"You're right, it _is_ art!" Winry smiled with a matter-of-fact expression. "In addition to normal automail functionality, you've internalized a weapon in each leg without sacrificing the simplicity of the exterior! This minimalist design is nothing less than art!"

"You've a good tongue on you, little girl."

Winry giggled happily.

"Compared to the normal carbon method, the exterior durability and overall mess is adjusted to the endurance and strength of the user." Winry nodded rapidly as the man explained, taking in every word. "And to help strengthen the steel, I place it on a metal surface to slow the cooling process."

"Gag, it's like they're speaking another language." Paninya groaned.

Ivy gave her a sympathetic grin. That was definitely her not too long ago when she first started learning. "Would that steel strengthening method be good for any steel alloy?"

"Don't confuse hardness with hardenability. The carbon content is the steel's maximum hardness. The hardenability refers to the martensite that forms in the microstructure during the cooling process. Figuring out the hardenability characteristics of the steel you have will help you know how the steel will harden during the welding process." Ivy could vaguely see Paninya look even more out of it as Dominic explained. Winry, on the other hand, had pulled out a small notepad and pencil from her pocket and was scribbling rapidly. "And pay attention to grain structure during the precipitation hardening. Fine grain offers more hardness and ductility."

"I'm really curious as to how you've made the steel in Paninya's steel so light." Winry chipped in. "It's really mobile but maintains high durability enough to withstand extreme shock. Is it your tempering methods?"

Dominic nodded, "I've developed a heat treatment I call flash processing. Makes the steel at least 7% stronger in less than ten seconds."

"'Less than ten seconds'?" Ivy and Winry said in amazed unison. This man was incredible.

"D-do you think you can look over my automail for any improvements that can be made?!" Winry sputtered, pointing in Edward's direction. "Ed, come here or a second!"

_Damn, now I wish I brought my designs!_

* * *

"17% chrome and 1% carbon, huh?" Dominic muttered as he tapped lightly on Edward's arm with a small hammer.

"I want to increase the strength and make it lighter too." Winry added with her eyes practically glued on the experienced engineer like a starving dog stared at a steak.

"I can see why." Dominic let the arm go, leaning into the back of his chair. "Compared to his body size, his automail is too heavy. It's not healthy to put that much strain on the user." A steel gray eye directed itself on Winry. "Maybe that's why his growth has been stunted."

"Don't call me- no wait!" Edward gasped, eyes wide. "Are you saying that if my automail was lighter, I'd grow taller than this!?"

Dominic gave a gruff nod, "it's a possibility."

Ivy was sure she saw mini Edward angels dancing around the boy's head. Poor guy is so desperate. "Okay, I've decided." Winry clenched her fist into an Arthur meme hand. "Dominic!" The blonde exclaimed. "Please, make me your apprentice!"

"Not a chance." Dominic dug inside his ear, not even sparing the girl a sparing glance.

"... Do you at least want some time to consider the idea?" Winry grounded out weakly.

"No way." Dominic's answer came like a bullet. "I don't take on apprentices."

Edward was suddenly holding a box of mountain sweet cakes. Did all anime characters have the ability to magically pull things out of nowhere? Were they all just related to Mary Poppins and that was how they did it? "Forget about her, how about you whip me up an ultra light automail to help me grow taller?"

"Can it, you little flea." Ivy didn't know if anything would help Edward recover from that burn. "Now get out of here!"

A loud thunder boom came right on cue with heavy rain following suit. "Don't let my old man scare you." Ridel chuckled. "You're welcome to stay here until the rain lets up."

"You traitor." Ivy nudged Winry after Dominic went to his forge. Edward had managed to get up and drag his bruised ego after him to beg some more. "I thought we were gonna be doing it big in Resembool. And here you are, leaving me the moment it conveniences you. I thought we had something special."_ If only._

Winry pouted into her mug of warm tea, "I was gonna ask him to take you in as an apprentice too."

"Mmmmmhmm."

"I was!"

"I want a divorce, Winry."

"Ivy!"

Ivy looked away pointedly and stuck her nose in the air as Winry pressed her forehead into her back. " I wouldn't just leave you behind like that, I'm serious!" She said defensively. "I was gonna ask about you too! I know you're really serious about learning about automail too!"

"I'm just messin' with ya." Ivy chuckled lightly, turning back to grin at the girl. "Still, it sucks the guy said no. But stuff will be figured out."

There was another clap of thunder and Paninya groaned when the rain sounded like it was hitting the ground even harder. "Whenever the weather gets bad, my joints get all achey." She whimpered, rubbing at her legs.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened?" Winry asked.

"I was in a train accident as a kid." Paninya said lightly, like what someone had asked her was 'hey, how's the weather'. Ivy grimaced into her mug as Paninya opened her mouth again. "When you don't have any parents and you lose your ability to walk, you feel like it's the end of the world. The actual time I spent crawling wasn't that long… but that was the lowest point in my life. Dominic even said that I had eyes like a dead person."

Ed and Al's bodies. Winry's parents. Paninya's legs and family. _Why does everyone in this world seem to have some sort of heavy baggage?_

"Before I knew what happened, I was outfitted with these automail legs." Paninya's story continued. "The surgery was painful and the rehabilitation process was, by far, the hardest thing I've ever done. But when I was finally able to stand on my two feet and feel the sun so close to my face? I was so happy." Paninya's blue eyes looked lovingly at the steel legs she'd been given. "These legs gave me back my will to live and the freedom to go anywhere I wanted. That's why I love Dominic so much. I love anyone that works with automail!"

A smile of understanding was exchanged between the three girls.

"Then I found out how much the legs he made me cost and nearly had a stroke." Paninya coughed.

"So is that why you pickpocket?" Ivy sat back, taking another sip of her drink. "To pay everything off?"

Paninya nodded, "I'm gonna pay him back even if it takes me my whole life." The smile on her face faltered though. "But he never takes my money. He just gives me free checkups and maintenance, it makes me wanna cry from the guilt."

Winry stood up with a sharp look. "If you really appreciate what Dominic's done for you, then stop picking pockets!" She pointed a finger at Paninya's chest, stomping a foot determinedly. "Dominic gave you those legs from an honest desire to help you, so get up and get up and work! Even if it takes a lifetime, it has to be an equivalent exchange."

Ivy felt a small surge of pride in her chest. "He'd probably accept the money too if he knew it was coming from an honest source." She added. "I'd say it's worth a shot."

"... I guess you're right." Paninya looked down at her legs once again. "Get a job, get one sen at a time…. Alright, I'll try things your way. I can at least try." Paninya pulled a familiar silver watch out of her pocket. "So I guess I should probably give this back to Ed now. But I think I broke it. When I tried giving it to Old Man Glotz, it wouldn't open or tick or anything."

Winry leaned closer, "no… look here." She traced around the rim of the watch. Ivy could barely see the trace signs of alchemical action on it. "It's been sealed with alchemy."

"... think there's something in there that he doesn't want anyone to see?" Paninya's eyes glinted.

Winry's fingers were full of screwdrivers and allen wrenches in a Wolverine-like fashion. "I think it's time for me to step up to the plate."

Ivy rolled her eyes with a snicker as Winry set to work. Mary Poppins struck again.

"Open!" Winry grinned gleefully holding it out proudly for the other two girls in the room to look.

_Don't forget. 3. Oct. 11._ was scratched into the back of the lid. "I don't get it." Paninya voiced what Ivy had been thinking herself. "What's that supposed to mean?" _Well in my world, that's the day that Aaron Samuels asked Cady Heron what day it was._ Ivy kept to herself knowing a Mean Girls joke would be wasted on the people surrounding her.

Ivy shrugged, looking to Winry. "What about y- Winry?" Tears were welling in the girl's eyes. "Hey, Winry, are you okay?" She and Paninya exchanged worried looks. 'What's with her?' Paninya's face seemed to be saying. Ivy could shrug and shake her head.

Winry nodded, snapping the lid closed. "Give this back to Ed." She said softly, placing the watch in Paninya's hand. "I'm gonna ask Dominic to make me his apprentice one more time."

Ivy stared after her anxiously.

Has Akasha ever said anything about this? Her brain racked trying to think of anything Akasha might have said before. _Come on, she's always going on and on about and about this show there has to be something she said that was super important!_ No answer came and Ivy sighed, wishing not for the first time that she had given Fullmetal Alchemist the time of day when Akasha tried shoving it down her throat. _Then I'd be more useful and know what the hell is going on half the damn time_.

"Ridel, come quick!" Winry's voice shot across the house. "It's your wife!"

Paninya and Ivy froze, dark blue eyes and brown looking at each other in fear before they both bolted.

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

We're finally in Rush Valley, y'all and it only took 14 chapters to get there. So much entertainment.

**CallMeAnon: Woah thanks for all the reviews, dude! They were a treat!**

**Tiara:** Faaaaam! It's been a while since I've forced any sort of fanfiction down your throat but here we are again. I'm glad you find Ivy to be a relatable character!

**GaaraDeservesToBeHappy:**... You know I have to do it to 'em.


	15. Akasha Could Have Warned a Guy

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** Ivy has it rough. She's no anime fan or FMA fan. But when she somehow crosses the gate, she finds herself in the worst possible position: a protagonist of an Another World fic trope. And between the alchemy, automail, lack of plot knowledge, and struggling with her attraction to a pretty blonde mechanic, Ivy reluctantly teams up with the main characters in her journey to get home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

Ivy had seen her fair share of pregnancies growing up.

If it wasn't on whatever soap opera her mother was watching, it was involved in the occasional movie like Father of the Bride 2 or that one movie where Jennifer Lopez got artificially inseminated. Then there was sex ed and the awkwardness of learning things about the body and what ovaries and eggs were and how pregnancy worked.

Nothing, however, could prepare a girl for what it would be like when a woman's water broke in 1914. Especially when it was still storming outside and someone had to hop on a horse to get a doctor.

Suffice to say, Ivy was about ready to faint.

_"Ohgodwe'refuckedwhatarewegonnado?!"_ She paced as everyone else seemed to be screaming around her.

"I don't know, the doctor's not here yet!" Edward clawed at his scalp, somehow able to hear her flurry of words. "Can't we just tell her not to push!?"

"But that could hurt the baby!" Paninya cried in response, biting her nails.

"We just have to do it!" A voice cut clearly through the panic. Winry stood tall, clenching her fists tightly.

"... Do what?"

"Deliver it."

Ivy quickly found herself screeching alongside her other panicked companions. "Are you serious!" Ridel looked clearly less than thrilled with the suggestion. "Do you have any experience delivering children!?"

"Not at all." Winry replied clearly as she put on a stray apron strewn across a table. "But we don't have time to wait for the doctor and this baby is coming whether we want it to or not." The blonde took a deep breath and grabbed a towel. "With everyone's help, I'll deliver this baby."

It was brief but despite the panic resonating inside her, Ivy could only think how cool Winry seemed in that moment before the blonde started barking out her commands. It was really now or never. "Ed and Al, boil some water! A lot of it! Paninya, gather as many towels as you can! Mr. Ridel, is there any alcohol for disinfectant!?"

"I-in the workshop!"

Winry stormed over to the workshop doors before turning around, "Ivy, put some drinking water by Ms. Satera's bedside!"

"Got it!" Ivy bit her lip as she made her way to the kitchen after the brothers. "We're doing this, we're actually doing this." She trembled, grabbing a bucket and filling it with water. "Do you two think things will be fine?" Ivy needed to fill the air with some sort of noise.

"All we can do is trust Winry right now." Edward muttered. His voice trembled despite his attempts to sound calm. "You probably know by now, but Winry comes from a family of doctors and would read through medical books like picture books the way Al and I did alchemy books." Yes, Ivy knew that. Winry had long since told Ivy about her parents being doctors called to aid during the Civil War and how they never returned. "She might have a casual understanding at best, but it's the best we have right now. Winry can do this."

Ivy stopped the faucet when the water lapped closely to the brim. "Yeah. She can." If anyone could do this, it was Winry. The thought wasn't as reassuring as Ivy hoped it could be as she made her way to Satera's bedside. "Don't worry, Ms. Satera, I know you don't have much of a choice but… we're gonna get through this." Ivy said as she placed the bucket as well as a mug on the dresser beside the bed.

The woman struggled to return a shaky grin as she clutched her husband's hand tightly, "at least our child will have an interesting birth story."

At least the woman could still crack jokes.

Ivy wasn't sure if she would even be able to do that herself if the places were swapped.

She turned to see Winry standing at the door but her blue eyes were wide and far, far away from where they both were. "Boil some water, disinfect the area… what else is there?"

"Win, relax." Ivy placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, smiling appreciatively when she could see three familiar faces standing behind the panicking engineer. "You can do this." They all said in unison.

"... Right." Winry nodded at last. "Ivy, Paninya, can you both give me a hand?"

Ivy's mind went blank.

* * *

Edward winced as another scream of pain came from behind the closed door.

It had realistically been only about five minutes since the girls had gone, ready to follow Winry's instructions in order to deliver the baby… But it felt like an unending cacophony of screaming that would never stop. "I know this sounds kinda pathetic, but right now… I'm scared to the core."

Alphonse clutched to him tightly, "yeah. Me too."

"I know we're not big believers in God." Edward mumbled when the screams temporarily subsided. "But maybe he can help us. Just this once."

_Let the baby be born safely._

_Let the mother be alright._

_Help them do this._

Edward couldn't think of any more eloquent words than that as he clamped his hands over his ears. Not even that could block out the returning pained shouts Satera released.

_I know I'm a sinner and committed a taboo and you'd never help me out ordinarily. But if you could help this family, I'd really appreciate it._

_Please._

Edward was on his feet the moment the door finally creaked open hours later, Paninya stumbling out and falling to her knees. "The blood… all that blood. I can't do this anymore."

"H-hey, Paninya! What happened!?"But the girl just placed her face in her hands, trying to calm herself and gave no answer. Edward scowled as he looked inside to see Winry and Ivy slumped over themselves, Ivy more than making herself comfortable by lying on the floor. "Guys, what happened?" He couldn't look at Satera, not until he knew things were alright.

Not until he knew this wasn't another situation like Nina and Alexander.

Winry just wordlessly pointed at the bed and Edward gulped, knowing he couldn't put it off any longer. His heart was pounded furiously as blood rushed to his ears. _Please be okay, please be o-_ Edward was more than relieved when a loud cry sliced through the air.

It was okay.

"It's okay!" Edward pumped his fists in the air.

"You really hung in there, Satera." Ridel sniffled, holding his son. "And thanks so much, Winry."

Winry finally looked calm enough to smile, though she still looked like she was still trying to process what had taken place. "Now we have to give him a bath." Winry said as she took off her apron. "Ivy, you okay down there?"

Ivy's eyes remained closed but she still raised a hand to give a shaky thumbs up, "just really wishing Akasha had told me about this."

"What?"

"That childbirth in person was horrifying to see in person." Ivy said quickly, covering her eyes. "I'm never having kids, ever. Not unless I can't feel anything. I'm just adopting cats."

Edward rolled his eyes at the girl's dramatics with a grin. "Still, this is so awesome! It's a real live baby. It's just so awesome!"

"You sound like a little kid, Ed." Winry snickered.

"But it is awesome!" Edward argued. From a completely alchemical standpoint, this was nothing short of a marvel. "What alchemy has been unable to do after hundreds of years of research, a woman can do in just 200 days!"

"It really takes all the beauty out of the mystery of life when you talk about it scientifically!" Winry glared with a huff.

"Occupational hazard." Edward quipped back without missing a beat, eyes still honed on the scene. "But still, this was awesome. Human beings are awesome." Ivy grumbled under her breath a disagreement but not even that could break the amazing feeling Edward felt surging through his body. Human beings really were awesome.

* * *

"What are you doing up, Ivy?"

Ivy nearly jumped out her skin at the sound of clinking metal and a tinny voice. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Ivy placed a hand over her chest, barely able to stop herself from all out screaming. She leaned against the door with a few hard breaths. "What are _you_ doing up?"

"Well, I can't sleep." Alphonse replied with a look at one of his hands. "Not in this body anyway. And then I saw you about to leave. Where are you going?" Dominic had returned a few hours ago with a doctor and the clouds had cleared up. Everyone else had been sleeping, especially after a grueling set of hours like that. "You should really be resting now."

"I…" Ivy's thoughts surged through her mind quickly, not sure how to process the newest bit of information she had learned. "I was just gonna go outside and look at the stars. I can't sleep and the clouds cleared up so... " She trailed off for a few heartbeats. "Do you wanna come and sit outside with me? It'd be nice to have the company and I'm pretty sure we can find something dry to sit on."

"Sure." Alphonse replied warmly, following Ivy out the door. "My mom used to always say that the sky looks prettiest after a heavy shower."

Ivy took in the sight of the trails of stars lighting the sky into a celestial shade of dark blue. She felt small, insignificant, but felt a grand feeling in her chest that made her want to cry. "I'd say your ma was right, Alphonse." She said quietly, sitting on a stool. It was still damp but Ivy couldn't bring herself to care that much. She inhaled the crisp air and breathed in the sweet smell of wet earth. "There's no way I'd be able to see these stars back home, not unless we went _way_ out in the countryside. The light pollution back home is crazy and the sky is always pitch black, save for a few really bright stars."

"It's like that in Central too." Alphonse took his own seat beside her. "It was a really big change from Resembool, going to these different cities. So I miss home a lot sometimes when we're traveling in places like Central. What about you? I know you probably miss your family and friends."

"I…." Ivy dug her fingernails into the wood of the table in between them. "Yeah. I miss it. It's definitely a lot more convenient with our technology. And it's easier to jog. I miss my friends. My mom." She held back a shiver when a cool breeze brushed her skin. "Sometimes I get really anxious for no reason and I try thinking about my friend, Akasha. I think about what she would do in my place. She'd be way better in this situation than me." Ivy muttered, briefly remembering the many times Akasha swooned about Edward and Alphonse. "She's a lot more suited for adventures and crazy crap happening, she just rolls with it. I feel like I'm just being passive in basically everything I do. Then I start thinking 'hey, you got this' and I hear some new story about someone and what they've gone through and suddenly I get all wound up. It's like… everyone in this world has something dark they're carrying. I get everyone has their own struggles but…. I don't even know where I'm going with this, I sound stupid."

"I don't think you sound stupid." Alphonse said when Ivy's mouth clamped shut with a sigh. "And I don't think it's that fair to compare yourself to everyone else when we come from different worlds. I don't think any of us would wish our stories on anyone else."

Ivy smiled but she wasn't sure if Alphonse would even see it considering the time of evening. "That's just 'cause you're a sweet guy, Al. Who knows about Ed, half the time he sounds like a corny villain."

"Haha, yeah." Alphonse chuckled. "But Brother means well. Usually."

"Sorry you can't sleep." Ivy said at last, avoiding looking at the young boy directly. "I know it might be pointless to say but… I am. You don't deserve what happened to you, you or your brother. I want you to get your body back as soon as possible." She stood up for a few seconds to give him a few pats on the head. "I wish there was a lot more that I could do for you."

The pause that followed was deafening and Ivy's ground her right foot into the gravel beneath it. _Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut._

"I think you do a lot for me and Ed though."

"Al, please." Ivy tried to keep the wallowing self-pity she felt out of her tone. "I think we can confirm that I haven't done nearly enough in the few weeks we've known each other."

"But you do." Alphonse protested. "You helped Brother keep up with his automail maintenance and you'd always be there to cheer us up when we were upset, or tell Brother to eat. And you pat my head all the time." Ivy was about to offer a snort and say that a pat on the head isn't really the same as the other things Alphonse had listed when he added, "you were the first person to pat my head after I lost my body. It always helped me feel normal and like nothing ever changed."

"... oh Al." Ivy whispered, a hand creeping back up to rub the cold helmet one more time.

Alphonse leaned into the touch though Ivy wasn't sure if he really felt anything. "I never had a big sister, but if I ever had to have one, I'd want it to be you."

Ivy could barely contain the sniffle, "I mean you can always call me Big Sis, if you want."

"Big Sis, it is."

"And good luck with your training with your teacher." Ivy added quickly, not wanting the moment to end. "I'll fight her if you get too scared to face her."

Alphonse only laughed nervously, "I don't think anyone could beat my teacher in a fight."

"Only because she hasn't met Ivette Carter yet."

"I don't think you'll be able to complete your engineering training if my teacher turns you into a corpse, Big Sis."

"You know what, Alphonse? I don't appreciate the sass." Ivy snorted while Alphons chuckled. "You're gonna make Bis Sis cry."

"Sorry." The boy didn't sound sorry at all. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"And I'm glad you think you're a real guy again." The sudden exclamation Alphonse had felt so long ago but it was still fresh in Ivy's mind even if Alphonse was back to his usual self. "I'm glad Winry was there to smack some sense into you even if I have no idea where she got that wrench."

"Sorry for worrying you." Alphonse replied softly.

"It's fine." Ivy sighed with a final firm pat on Alphonse's head. "Just remember the next time stuff like that floats around in your head that they have literal pictures of you from when you were a kid. That alone should be enough proof you existed." There were so many pictures in the Rockbell home. Pictures of Alphonse fishing or reading books and even a picture of him asleep with Den curled up right on his head like a cat.

"I didn't even think of that."

Ivy held back a snort of disbelief. Whatever made Alphonse think those things must have really gotten to him if he completely forgot about his life's biography in photos. "You can think about it now then. There's gonna be a whole lot more pictures to be taken once you get your body back, I know you will." Ivy wasn't sure when, but Akasha wouldn't lie about something like that. Not with the amount of swooning she did about the series.

A peaceful silence swept over them again and another thought crept into Ivy's head. "Hey, Al."

"Yeah?"

"What happened on October 3rd?" Ivy could feel Alphonse freeze underneath her touch and wanted to kick herself from bringing it up. It was enough to bring Winry to tears just looking at the date, so obviously it must have been something bad. Still, the word vomit flowed out uninhibited. "Was it… the day you lost your bodies?" That was her most likely guess. "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't wanna, sorry if I'm pokin' at shit you don't want poked."

"No it's-" Alphonse paused. "That was the day we burned our house down and left home."

Oh.

"We didn't want to hold ourselves back anymore. So… we burned it down so we wouldn't run back when our journey got hard."

Ivy rested her chin on the hand atop Alphonse's head. "Do you ever regret it?"

Alphonse never answered that question.

* * *

_"Hey there, little guy! I'm your grandpa!"_

"Well he's turned into a doting grandfather."

"Meh, I miss the cranky version."

Ivy swatted Edward's shoulder at his comment of disgust, slapping a hand over her mouth to stop a snort from escaping. "Oh come on, you were thinking it!" Edward glared.

"But you said it." Ivy replied neutrally when her near abrupt laughter subsided.

"You two stop it." Winry interrupted with an amused look.

The doctor stayed overnight, finishing his examinations thoroughly. "Both mother and child are in good physical condition." He said with a pleased smile, pushing up his glasses. "The post delivery process was even handled well." The bald man gave Winry a pleased smile. "Even adults get scared over being in charge of delivering children so you really are something else, Miss."

Winry's amusement turned to embarrassment as she shook her head adamantly, "n-no no! It was nothing really and everyone else chipped in!"

"Oh don't be so modest." Ivy elbowed her friend smoothly. "You did more than the rest of us. Just take your compliment in stride."

_"Ivy."_ Winry hissed, red turning scarlet.

"Your friend is right, young lady." Dominic bowed from his chair. "I thank you for what you did for my family."

Winry hid her face in her hands, "now you're all making me blush!"

Edward grinned wickedly, "well since you're so grateful, what about it, Boss?" He slithered closely to the older man. "Why not take on an apprentice? Or two?"

"Nice try, but no." Came Dominic's immediate reply as he sat back up with a sharp look. "Don't misunderstand me. I'm grateful that you helped us by delivering the baby, but this is another matter altogether. I don't take on apprentices. And you both have families waiting for you back home. Young people shouldn't make their families worry."

_Disappointed but not surprised._ Ivy sighed. "He's probably right though." Ivy eyed Winry's saddened look, setting a hand on her shoulder. "Pinako's probably gonna be complaining until we go back to Resembool. She's a great engineer anyway."

Dominic fell from his stool with a thud. "... Pinako. From Resembool?"

Winry nodded with a confused expression, "yeah, that's my grandmother."

Ivy could cringe as she saw the full out fear on the man's face as she scooted away even further. "P-Pinako Rockbell's grandchild." Dominic gulp, clutching a scar on his chin.

"Um…" Winry took a step forward with a raised brow. "Did something happen between you and Granny or something?"

"Don't ask me anything!" Dominic spat, holding a hand to stop her from saying anything else. "You're just gonna reopen my old wounds! The memories- they're too awful!" Dominic shuddered and Ivy could only imagine what he was thinking about. _Christ, Pinako, what did you do to this guy to make him completely lose his cool at your name?_ It was honestly quite admirable. "That wild woman! The Pantheress of Resembool!"

"The what?!" Edward and Alphonse gasped.

"She even had a title?!" Ivy thought back to the short old lady. What a legend.

"I-in any case." Dominic cleared his throat and got back on his feet. "I don't accept apprentices. And now that I know that you're both affiliated with that woman, it makes me want to take you on even less. What I mean is- _ahem_." Dominic sighed in defeat, setting his hands on Ivy and Winry's heads respectively. "If you _must_ be trained, then I suppose I can introduce you to an accomplished engineer at the base of the mountain who's been looking to take some people on."

Ivy looked at Winry with a grin. "Can we come by to watch you work sometimes too?" She asked, hopeful.

"Hmph." Dominic gruffed, looking back at his newly delivered grandson. "If you're just gonna get in my way, don't bother. But…" he scratched the back of his head. "I don't mind you coming over if you wanna visit my grandchild. And the pickpocket can come too, if she changes her ways."

* * *

Ivy sighed as the train Edward and Alphonse barely managed to board became smaller and smaller the further it traveled into the distance. Winry panted heavily beside her, "they're gone." She said when she caught her breath. "It's gonna be a lot quieter again." She almost missed the nagging and it hadn't even been a minute since they took off. Hell, she was still at the station.

"Well, as quiet as you can get in a place like Rush Valley." Paninya chirped with a wide grin. "It's never quiet here."

Ivy slapped her hands on her hips, "I welcome the noise! I'm gonna get all the training I can get with this Garfield guy that Dominic told us about." With gusto, she turned around and began walking to the station's exit. She'd finally get proper training and actual customers coming through the door rapidly. _Not that I'll have a lot to start but I'll get there._

"_Garfiel_, Ivy." Winry corrected with a nudge. "You don't wanna make him mad before Dominic even introduces us because you messed up his name." Dominic would be coming to town himself to make introductions with who could be their prospective teacher. Winry had long since been excited. "Atelier Garfiel's really well-known for their intricate metal work, so this is really exciting!"

Paninya followed after them. "And he makes really great tea!"

"Sounds like quite the character." Ivy hummed happily, a warm breeze passing through in a timely manner. Things really were falling into place.

"Oh!" Winry gasped. "Ivy, we could get matching outfits!"

"Sure, if you start doing morning jogs with me." Ivy clicked her tongue without missing a beat, not missing how Winry's face fell at the reply. "Building an automail alone does not build muscle, Winry Rockbell."

Paninya chortled as Winry slumped over, "I can't believe you're making me do this with you."

"For your health."

"You're trying to kill me slowly."

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

And Ed and Al are off! This chapter was meant to come out a bit sooner since, realistically, I already had it written out. I have quite a few written in advance, but something about this chapter felt incomplete so I tweaked it a bit for a while until coming out with a satisfactory chapter. Anyway, it was fun writing them while I had them for the handful of chapters they were part of but don't worry, they'll be back in soon. Can't talk anymore about it than that, but let's just say some surprises will be coming up then. Until then, let's have some fun with Winry and Ivy's journey in Rush Valley with Mr. Garfiel.

Will Elizabetta finally be created?

Will Paninya regain the trust of the locals?

And will Ivy and Winry get those matching mechanic jumpsuits?

We'll be finding out during the rest of the Rush Valley Arc, that's for certain.

Read, Review, and stay Chill too. 'Til next time, readers.

**CallMeAnon: **Lowkey... kinda did my best to skip over it cough but I hope the rest was satisfactory for ya!

**Guest:** I'm glad you enjoyed the binge! I wanted to switch the focus for the story as far as an OC's interest when coming to world of FMA, so I'm really glad it paid off in the end since a lot of people seem to appreciate it. I know I put myself in a bit of a rough spot in a way by having her interests both romantically and career-wise stem away from Ed and Al since that means I have to rely on my own creativity to make chapters and scenes without Ed and Al's influence on the plot assisting me, but it's worth the practice!

**Vendicor: **I'm glad you stuck around to even get to chapter 14 since your tastes in OC fics don't really tend to lean towards this sort and really happy that in the end you've enjoyed the ride so far! I won't lie and say that I feel or felt the same about OC x Canon Character fics because I know that I have read a crap ton in my highlight of weebary and that while I've majorly grown out of that phase, I do like re-reading those fics that I loved so much as a kid and seeing how my tastes have changed or how the writing hold's up. They helped me wanna write and eventually, years later, I'm finally writing and planning to actually finish what I started then! So I'm pumped you like it! Originally this was, when I was in my weeb phase, a hardcore EdxOC campaign but I'm happy with the final choices with it being Winry instead since I enjoyed writing their interactions so much. So it makes me really happy to hear you find their chemistry realistic and enjoyable T^T, I was aiming for stead old married couple vibes with them since their more emotionally intuitive characters. Anyway, I'll stop the ramble! Thanks for sticking around!


	16. An Apprenticeship in Rush Valley

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** Ivy has it rough. She's no anime fan or FMA fan. But when she somehow crosses the gate, she finds herself in the worst possible position: a protagonist of an Another World fic trope. And between the alchemy, automail, lack of plot knowledge, and struggling with her attraction to a pretty blonde mechanic, Ivy reluctantly teams up with the main characters in her journey to get home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

_"Winry."_ Ivy called as she shook the blonde's shoulders. Ivy was up and at 'em, already in her volleyball uniform and tennis shoes. "Come on, you gotta get up. You know what time it is."

"No." Winry whined back, clutching her pillow tightly. "The sun's barely even up yet."

"Ah ah ah." Ivy wrenched the pillow from Winry's eyes, ignoring the hard glare she received in return. "You know the deal. We get matching jumpsuits, we do morning jogs together." And Ivy had been keeping that deal consistent for the past few weeks since they moved to Rush Valley to begin an apprenticeship with a nice and openly gay man named Garfiel. _Which honestly, Akasha should have mentioned._ Ivy thought absently. _As a best bi myself, I would have watched for that alone._

Winry's glare sharpened even more. "I wouldn't even call what you got a matching jumpsuit." She grumbled. "Mine is beige and green bandanna. Yours is light purple with a red bandanna. Those don't match at all."

"Hey, they were made by the exact same company." Ivy argued as she pulled Winry up into a sitting position. "And the tanktop I got is black. And our gloves are literally the exact same color. We are a matching, elite engineering unit now and we're getting up for our jog. It's just a small circuit around the neighborhood we're in."

Winry rubbed one of her eyes, "that might as well be all of Rush Valley."

"But better because there's barely anyone out right now." Rush Valley was considerably better than Central to run in. Even early in the morning, there were plenty of people that were going about their business and going to bakeries and cafes for breakfast or driving around in whatever vehicles were popular. Rush Valley was simple though, almost as simple as Resembool. If it wasn't automail time, there wasn't a lot of people out. And the few that were out were just prepping to open up their shops. Nothing to really worry about in terms of jogging.

Winry groaned one last time before getting up to brush her teeth and throw her hair into a sloppy bun. "I'll make pancakes when we get back." Ivy called after the girl and got a noncommittal 'mhmm' in return.

Winry still looked dead by the time she came out of the bathroom in a comfortable running outfit and a messy bun. "I'd rather be reading Mr. Garfiel's book on carbon fibers." She muttered.

"I'm doing this for your health, groucho." Ivy welcomed the cool breeze that passed when she opened the door in the back of the house. "Just a small circuit and we'll be back before you know it."

"And we can't walk because?"

"Because I already taught you the granny power walk and that helps get the blood pumping." Ivy said as she stretched. "We'll walk tomorrow, how about that?"

"Mmmm."

It was a schedule they would struggle with until Winry got used to it, but at the very least it was a start. Ivy took P.E., she knew it wasn't healthy to just sit around all day even if you _were_ building prosthetics. "You're doing really good so far even with the granny power walk." Ivy said, more or less jogging circles around her friend. "I tried to get Akasha to jog with me once outside of school and she didn't talk to me for a week."

"I'm almost tempted to do that myself!" Winry huffed, sweat already dripping down her forehead.

"But then who would you talk to about automail?"

"Everyone else in town, of course!"

Ivy snorted, "now that's just mean." She replied with a fake sniffle that garnered a breathy laugh and Ivy smiled at the sound. "Just think of this as a great way to get to know Rush Valley up close and personal and scope out the competition." Not that either of them had acquired any real customers yet but they were working up to it. Winry had done maintenance checks so far for Garfiel's own customers and Ivy watched. Their mentor had a strict one period Ivy had to clear before she could really operate on anyone.

Until then, Ivy's clients had been the models Garfiel had developed for demonstration.

Even moreso, Elizabetta's construction had to wait; another disappointing (albeit unsurprisingly necessary) discovery.

_"Just think of it this way," Garfiel had said. "you'll be extra prepared when you're finally working on your own customers!"_

_Still doesn't make the wait any less disappointing._ Ivy held back a sigh hours later as she watched Garfiel demonstrate the intricacies of the ulnar, median, and radial nerves of the arm and replication of them in the wirework. Arms first and then legs, that was his motto. "The wirework is the most important part after making the frame regardless of the body part you're making." Garfiel explained in a serious tone. He was normally a lot more carefree though the personality shifted quite a bit when he was working. "Even a slight error will prevent the arm from working well or working entirely. So knowing which is which is also important so the prosthetic can move properly.

Ulnar nerves move the fingers, median nerves move the hands, wrists, and forearms, and then radial nerves will send pulses to move to the rest of the arm. These nerves all wrap around and connect to the elbow as well. There's so many wires and cords you'll need, so color coding is important! I personally use pink, red, and yellow for mine." Garfiel winked as he showed the sleeves he had covered his wires in. "Silver is honestly the best conductive metal to use but copper is the most available nowadays with the boom in business. But if you can get your hands on some high quality silver, nab it!"

_Well at least I know how else outfittees are avoiding electrical shocks when they take baths._ Ivy noted as she quickly wrote this information in her notepad. Okay, maybe she did need to sit back for a month considering she never really bothered reading anatomy books while in Central. It was all just so fascinating. The mechanical engineering required to build the prosthetics work, the bioinstrumentation to make sure they moved properly, the electrical engineering to replicate the pulses of nerves. To think that an anime set in 1914 fictional Germany was able to crack the code on making perfect prosthetics. "Is brass good too? That has copper in it."

"Yes, but the other materials in the makeup can work to reduce the conductivity." Garfiel answered with a dissatisfied hum, setting his gloved hands on his hips sternly. "Brass is the cheap and shameless engineer's tool! One relied on when we engineers didn't know better. I'll not see either of you girls using it as my pupils even once you get out of here!"

Winry laughed from her place handling the drill press. "Yes, sir!"

"Is there no option to potentially improve on the properties of the brass?" Ivy joked as she finished off writing her last sentence on metal conductivity. "You never know, we could shake up the automail world with a newer and improved brass."

"Never in my life will Atelier Garfiel be known for using brass in its automail! And that's that!" Garfiel said with a loud 'hrumph'. "The day engineers swoop to using brass again is the day I start entertaining women."

_This guy would be perfect on Pose._ "You're gonna be leaving a trail of broken female hearts, Mr. Garfiel."

"They'll survive, I'm sure." Her teacher replied without missing a beat.

"Well it certainly sounds lively in here." Paninya's voice sounded amused as the girl stood in the doorway donned in a fresh pair of overalls. She waved as she took it upon herself to take a seat on a bench, grinning. "How's the engineer's life going, ladies?"

"Oh taking a break, Paninya?" Garfiel asked.

True to her word, Paninya had stopped pickpocketing and taken up a more honest trade to earn her money to pay Dominic back. "Eeeh." The girl winced, shaking her in a s-so motion. "More like I haven't really gotten anything much yet. "It's still hard trying to get work since everyone is still not exactly trusting me after all the theft I did." Paninya sighed. "But I'm still gonna do my best even if Dominic still isn't accepting what little I have earned fixing roofs."

"Well your business is just starting." Winry smiled reassuringly, ever the blonde optimist. "He's just giving you time to get on your feet before he starts taking your payments."

"Hopefully." Paninya shrugged. There wasn't much use in crying over spilt milk, a saying from home that Ivy knew would rile Edward to the highest degree of disgust. "So since business is so slow, I decided to stop by and see how you nerds were doing and saw you weren't that busy either."

Garfiel nodded, "it's the perfect time to stop and explain things to my lovely pupils."

"Not that he's doing much explaining to Winry." Ivy pouted, pursing her lips. "But I'm gonna catch up soon enough and start selling my wares." Sales would be split 70-30 between themselves and Garfiel whenever a transaction took place selling their own automail, the deal established to earn their own money and get used to the business side. Not that Ivy was sure that Elizabetta would be selling quality by the time she finished her creation. "Elizabetta's gonna be a-"

Paninya held up her hands to stop the impending explanation, "a steel-aluminum alloy, I know. It's all you talk about!"

"It's what keeps a girl happy, Paninya." Ivy stuck out her tongue. "A precursor to my automail specialization." She crossed her arms thoughtfully. "I honestly wanna go into northern models but where I live, it honestly doesn't get all that cold so it would be a waste dedicating my research to it."

Winry's eyes glinted at the mention of it, "I love northern automail too!" The blonde ceased her actions on the drill press immediately as she swooned. "The Mad Bear M1910 is so amazing! It has diamond-tipped claws and allegedly gleams just like one in the sunlight!"

"Now, now!" Garfiel clapped his hands. "You won't be making any northern models if you can't make automail at all, Ivy. So let's get back to work!" He gave Paninya an apologetic look. "Sorry to ask, but could you stop by later, Paninya? My pupils are gonna get distracted otherwise and one of them needs to finish learning about the intricacies of crafting the nervous system."

Paninya had no problems standing up with a tired expression, "there's only so much automail-related rants I can take. I'll come back when it's tea time and we can talk about cool, like architecture!"

Ivy wished she had enough time to tell the girl that automail was basically architecture in its own right. _But Mr. Garfiel's right, I gotta get my head in the game._ Determination alone didn't build automail, there needed to be hard work. And it was only more apparent now than ever that Ivy really had her work cut out for her. "Alright, so tell me more about these nerve systems, Teach."

"That I can." Garfiel said with a pleased expression. "There's a lot to cover before the break including how to twine the wire pieces before you put on the sleeves."

* * *

Ivy yawned as she peered over her anatomy book.

All was quiet in the shop and the surrounding area, everything now closed. Mr. Garfiel was in the kitchen, singing offkey a song that Ivy didn't recognize as he cooked dinner, and Winry was taking a shower. Perfect time to study without interruption. There was just so much to learn about the human body in order to replicate it. _And I knew that but I didn't even really consider all the stuff in anatomy books I'd have to read even before constructing anything._

The overall mass, the automail itself with its wires, plating, nuts, and bolts all had to be as equal to the weight of a normal limb to avoid straining the user. So she couldn't go crazy.

_Wrist extension, 60 degrees. Wrist flexion, 60 degrees. Wrist adduction/ulnar deviation, 30 degrees._ Ivy scribbled as neatly as she could into her notes, glancing at the biomechanics of the forearm. She would get to the biomechanics of the legs tomorrow when she cleared this chapter.

"You still haven't run for the hills, huh?" Winry's voice came from behind her.

Ivy gave a small wave with her free hand, not turning around as she felt Winry looking over her shoulder, wet blonde strands touching Ivy's shoulder. "It's been two weeks and now you're asking me that? A bit late, Winry, my dear." The blonde had even tried getting Dominic to be their mentor not too long ago, though Ivy was slightly sure that was a hasty addition when Ivy pouted about it.

"Just making sure." Winry said, carefully setting her chin atop Ivy's head. "I know that making automail isn't as easy as other things. So I won't be upset or anything if you ever come out and say that you change your mind."

Ivy set down her pen and turned around in her chair, causing Winry to have to find her balance again. "Geez, why the sudden depressing atmosphere?" She raised an eyebrow. "I told you I wanted to learn how to make automail with you weeks ago at Elycia's birthday party. And I'm pretty sure my rambles about Elizabetta and northern region automail should really add up to you knowing I'm one satisfied customer here." Rush Valley might not have ever been a place she would have seen herself living in a few months ago, but it was certainly amazing to be in.

The people were kind and Garfiel was a great teacher.

Most of all, Ivy discovered a sense of purpose. She didn't really know what she was planning to do after high school at all once she graduated though she knew her mother would damn well make her go to university. But for what, Ivy couldn't tell you. Akasha planned from day one of discovering anime that she would be going into writing and art and Ivy, well, she definitely never pictured her volleyball career going anywhere aside from school-related activities.

Now she had something.

Winry's hands fiddled, twirling her thumbs and her blue eyes looked anywhere but Ivy's own. "I just… I thought that I might have forced you into it. I've been avoiding asking you about it." The blonde muttered at last. "Even if you thought automail was interesting at first, I was the one who really pushed the study material onto you."

"Didn't you also tell Pinako that you wanted me to be an engineer because I wanted to?" Ivy said, distinctly recalling that conversation in the downstairs workshop that seemed to be eons ago. "Trust me, you can't force me to do anything if I really don't want to. It's like what I tell Akasha, she's always doing stuff that I have no interest in and I can only go along with it so far before I tell her I need a break." Like Saturday evenings of watching anime and Ivy finally erupting and saying they needed to put on something else. "I haven't done that with automail and don't see myself doing it for the foreseeable future, so you're getting all worried for nothing."

"Who's Akasha to you?" Was Winry's next question.

"I ain't ever talked about her before?" Ivy asked back. Ivy was pretty sure Akasha had come up in light conversation at some point before this.

"I mean you have, but I don't really know much about her except that you said she gets really excited about stuff. Like alchemy."

Ivy stood up for a second and turned her chair around, just sitting there with her head turned over her shoulder was killing her back. "She's an old friend, we've known each other since we were five. Ish." Something like that. Ivy could still remember when they met each other at daycare. Ivy had picked up a Pooh bear plushie and Akasha immediately started crying and trying to snatch it from her. It ended in a tug of war and Pooh breaking and a timeout subsequently followed. "But then she made some stupid joke about pudding almost instantly afterwards and she's been a thorn in my side for ten years." Ivy continued fondly. "To be honest, I've been thinking a lot about her lately. It's been a while since I've seen her."

"Didn't you get to see her in Central?" Winry asked softly.

_Fuck._ "Uh no." Ivy answered quickly trying to fish for some sort of excuse. "It's complicated but she's not in Central right now, she's somewhere else." _Like another dimension entirely._ "So we can't see each other or talk right now which sucks because there's stuff I really wanna ask and regret never doing before I got to a point we couldn't talk anymore." Ivy clenched a fist, thinking back to the times that Akasha had raved on and on about this place and how she, reluctantly, told her best friend that she just couldn't find much interest after the first episode. "I keep trying to make decisions based on what she would do because I feel like she'd be better at it. Or how she would try and do certain things.

I really miss her and the rants she'd have about stuff she liked. Akasha can be a huge handful and can be super loud and obnoxious, but she's the one person I think who really gets me. Can't really imagine my life without her constantly going on and on about what she likes or sending me funny stuff." Keeping her phone off and no longer being able to receive memes from Akasha really hit Ivy like a freight train her first real week in Resembool.

_I've adjusted now I guess._ Ivy thought bitterly, wondering about the memes she was missing out on. Living memeless was difficult but at least it was doable.

Barely.

"Is…" Winry's voice brought Ivy out of her bitter stupor and she shot Winry a nod to show her attention was front and center. "Is Akasha…. your girlfriend?"

Ivy swore she heard something snap inside her. "EW NO." Ivy retched clawing at her face as the sudden image of her and Akasha gazing into each other's eyes romantically hit her mind's eye. "Oh god no! GROSS!"

"B-but you were just talking about how much she meant to you!" Winry stammered, taken aback by the reaction. "So I thought-

"As a _friend_!" Ivy snapped. "The day I'm attracted to her ass is the day I lose my eyesight 'cause I won't be able to even look at myself anymore! We're way too different, for one thing! We'd just be a couple that argues all the time if we got together! She isn't even my type!" High maintenance friends were one thing, but Ivy couldn't deal living in proximity to a high maintenance anime loving lover. That was a different ordeal entirely. "Trust me, Akasha is the last person in the universe that I'd wanna date." The world would literally have be void of other people and her taste would have to change considerably.

_God, my crush thought I was dating someone._ That's the worst. Ivy groaned internally, vaguely registering Garfiel telling them not to yell so loudly. Ivy sat back in her chair with a sigh. "God, me and Akasha. That's rich."

"So… you're not dating?" Winry asked again. "Really?"

"Trust me, we're not dating at all." Brown eyes whirled onto the pretty mechanic ready to go on another tirade about why and she Akasha would be the most incompatible couple in the universe but stopped just short of seeing the expression on Winry's face.

"Oh." Winry said, a small smile. She almost looked relieved. "You're not."

Ivy's heart stuttered, "What's with that statement, huh?"

Ivy wasn't sure if it was just lighting or if Winry's cheeks turned a shade of pink, "nothing!" She stammered, holding her hands up defensively. "You asked me about me and Ed a while ago so I just wanted to ask about you and Akasha!"

The stuttering stopped at Edward's name being mentioned. "You're not gonna ask if I'm dating _him_, are you?"

Winry shot Ivy a look, "are you?" She asked, skeptically.

Ivy's only response was to pretend she was gagging. That was even more impossible than her and Akasha dating. "He's like the brother I never asked for. Al is the sweet brother I brag about and Ed is the gremlin I fight with over the remote." Ivy could just picture that one meme on Twitter about blocking the monitor on the cable box so your siblings couldn't change the channel.

"Remote?"

"The remote control over the universe."

Winry gave Ivy a weird look but chuckled anyway. "You're such a weirdo."

"Honey, I'm awesome." Ivy fluttered her eyes petulantly.

* * *

"Winry, your knight in annoyed armor has to say something."

"Yes, dear knight?"

"I'm gonna scream if these wires get tangled again." Ivy groaned, slamming her head on her worktable. It was nighttime, passed work hours and the two of them were at their respective workspaces beside each other. "Every time, Winry. _Every_ _time_, I set the damn things that I've finished aside neatly and organized- the moment I look back, Elizabetta's hand is a tangled mess."

Two weeks into Month 2 and Ivy had finally been able to start working on her creation and it was only going about as terribly as one could imagine as she began the wiring process.

Ivy was sure it was some sort of ghost trying to make her life miserable. "Save me from the nightmare."

"Have you tried tying back the ones you've completed?" Winry asked with an amused tone.

"... I hate my life."

An amused snort filled the air.

"Oh shut up and give me one of your extra hair ties!"

* * *

Ivy sighed at the blonde heap laying in front of her. "Winry."

"Ten more minutes!" Winry buried herself further into her blankets.

"You said that fifteen minutes ago."

"It's nicer in bed."

"For a girl who has no problems getting up early to work on automail, I am beyond surprised that you can't even get up to take a thirty minute jog."

"Those are two entirely different situations." Winry mumbled, curling into a ball.

….

Ivy sighed as a few moments passed on. "Winry, I'm trying to think about your health." She pressed gently. "And you're already improving a lot with your running. Sure you're no Ivy Carter-" Ivy broke away with a chuckle when a pillow hit her in the face, blue eyes glaring at her. "I have to be honest, you know. Not everyone can be a me when it's time to jog it up."

"I'm only getting up so I can show you that we're on equal footing."

Ivy only snickered at the end of their run when Winry realized she'd been baited. "I can't believe you." The blonde muttered. "I take back what I said about trying to make apple pie this weekend."

"Oh come on, Winry, I was thinking about your health!" Ivy tried to stop the laughter from bubbling further. "What are people gonna say if their engineer isn't that healthy?"

Winry crossed her arms with an indignant pout. "No one is gonna care if their automail engineer isn't a walking bag of muscle." She said gesturing to Ivy's build, which while greater than Winry's, Ivy only wished she had the muscle to flex like Armstrong. Maybe even the sparkle. _I should have asked what his upper body workout looks like._ Ivy clicked her tongue as she realized the missed opportunity. She didn't need to get Armstrong levels of buff, but she definitely wanted to be 'buff enough to do a flexing brag' buff.

She could see herself now wearing her jumpsuit in a style akin to Winry solely for the purpose of beefily wrenching bolts tightly in place for customers who would gawk in awe.

_I need to start doing more pushups._

Ivy came back to reality at the feel of a finger poking her forehead and looked down in surprise at the blonde mechanic. "What?"

"You suddenly drifted off, that's what." Winry chirped with a curious expression.

"Oh. I was just thinking…" Ivy flexed a bicep and gave Winry a curious look of her own, wanting a second opinion. "I wanna start doing more pushups and get absolutely shredded like Major Armstrong, do you think it'd look good?"

A look of horror was on Winry's face in seconds as she shrieked the loudest _'please don't!'_ Ivy had ever heard. "Geez, it was just an innocent question." Ivy grumbled as they walked inside the studio, Winry stumbling after her in a daze. "I'm not going for the super shredded look, but just shredded enough that I could look aesthetically pleasing to customers and equally intimidating if they get all uppity."

"You're absolutely perfect as you are right now! Please don't get any more muscular!" Winry more-or-less begged. "What if instead of that, we just focus on jogging?!"

Ivy wasn't sure whether or not to be happy at Winry's sudden gust of enthusiasm or feel insulted. "I'm still gonna ask Armstrong what kinda pushups and lifting he does the next time we see him." She grumbled, looking pointedly away from Winry who latched onto her arm the moment she made her statement.

"I will make you the biggest apple pie in the universe if you _don't_!"

"Girls, if you want enough time to do some work on your projects before the shop opens, hurry and eat breakfast!"

"Yes, Mr. Garfiel!"

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

(Before anyone asks… yes I gave Ivy Winry's 2003 colors as an homage to the first anime, I thought it would be a nice touch.) This chapter came at a whirlwind of emotions for the behind the scenes work of making my chapters. I wanted to stretch this quite far in terms of a true training arc for the girls, but I didn't want to make it too dull and stretched out and had a ruff time making a more linear story. So what the end result kinda became is kinda janky but I wanted to have some light-hearted moments to balance out the angst from the previous chapters.

Lowkey disappointed in myself since I really wanted to make about three more chapters surrounding this, but this is just a case of a bad writing moment and we all have them. So I wanna be honest with my audience about the jankiness with this chapter here. If I can stretch it out some more, I'll definitely try but I might just make some Rush Valley fanfics oneshots on the side if I really want that.

I still hope that you get enjoyment out of it 'cause 17 is coming quickly soooo meh and by quickly, I mean... right after this goes up OTL so you at least have some sort of quality.

**CallMeAnon: **This chapter is a mess so I'm glad you liked the last one TAT


	17. Guess Who's Coming for Dinner?

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** Ivy has it rough. She's no anime fan or FMA fan. But when she somehow crosses the gate, she finds herself in the worst possible position: a protagonist of an Another World fic trope. And between the alchemy, automail, lack of plot knowledge, and struggling with her attraction to a pretty blonde mechanic, Ivy reluctantly teams up with the main characters in her journey to get home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

When Ivy woke up that morning, there was a feeling she couldn't shake off her chest.

She blinked at the ceiling of her room in the housing portion of Atelier Garfiel and paused. Her bandanna had slipped off in its sleep and she could smell the smell of bacon frying wafting through the door, the sun blearing in. Ivy shot up immediately, throwing the blankets off of her. "Yo, did I oversleep?!" She called, getting out of her bed when she spotted that Winry was nowhere to be seen in their shared room.

Ivy stumbled to the kitchen, seeing Garfiel standing by the oven. "I overslept, foreal?" She groaned.

"Did you stay up late?" Garfiel looked over his shoulder, cracking eggs into the skillet. "I know you girls can get quite caught up in your work."

_Hey, I'm no Winry._ Ivy wanted to protest thinking of the nights she had to often drag Winry back to bed saying the combat automail studies could wait for daylight. _I get my full hours of sleep!_ "Not any later than I normally did." Ivy muttered, crossing her arms. The feeling in her chest remained like that feeling you had when you swore you didn't finish all of the tasks set out for you. She could hear the distant sound of a sanding tool being used. "Winry! You should've woken me up!" Ivy groaned as she made her way to the workroom, Winry expectedly hunched a leg plate in-progress .

Winry paused, shooting Ivy a look. "I did try waking you up, four times." The blonde replied, though Ivy was sure the lack of guilt indicated that she had no problem that their morning jog had been skipped for once. "You wouldn't even budge though, so I left you alone thinking maybe you got up to work more after I went to sleep."

That definitely wasn't the case.

Elizabetta 2.0 was still packed neatly in her case underneath Ivy's worktable, tools placed neatly in their rightful locations. "... That's odd then." Ivy said dumbly, not sure what else to say. "I never oversleep." Not once in their few months of living in Rush Valley.

"It's probably because you're suddenly so obsessed with bulking up." Winry suggested with a frown and shudder. She'd still been vehemently against the idea saying all she could imagine was Ivy with the signature curl and mustache flexing her shirt off whenever it was mentioned. "You're not giving yourself any time to rest."

"I get plenty of time to rest in between my increase of pushups and squats." Ivy stuck her nose in the air. "You're the one who will stay up all night working the night away even if we don't have to."

Winry's counter argument was to simply continue on sanding a jagged edge of her plate, occasionally stopping to blow away metal shavings. Ivy sat down quietly with no other reason to continue the conversation and looked at the clock. The shop would be opening in an hour and a half. Her anxious feeling only seemed to increase with every breath she took.

_I know I finished everything I was supposed to do yesterday outside of work on Elizabetta._ Ivy curled a finger around her chin as she went through a mental list. She took scrap tools to the blacksmith like Garfiel told her to, and Ivy knew for a fact that she had cleared the gunk out of the tensile machine because it got all over her jumpsuit and despite heavy rubbing, there was still a stain on the left knee. "... I changed the disk on the grinder yesterday, right?"

Winry nodded, eyes still on her work. "Yep." She answered readily.

"Oh."

"Are you okay?" Winry asked, setting the micro sander down. "Maybe you should sleep a little longer. Mr. Garfiel wouldn't mind if you told him."

Ivy shook her head, "no, it's nothing. I just thought I forgot to do something yesterday because I feel like something's out of place." Ivy scratched her braids, her scalp was a touch dry and would need some moisture before the shop opened. "I'm gonna go and get ready and stuff and set to work after breakfast."

"Okay then." Winry offered a soft smile and picked her tool up again. "Drink some coffee if you need some."

"And _you_ make sure you get up and grab breakfast instead of getting zoned out and me bringing it to you." Ivy motioned a hand in a firm 'I got my eyes on you' signal. Winry worried about everyone to the last minute detail but heaven forbid the girl actually took decent care of herself. "We're eating breakfast the moment it's ready." Ivy said firmly and ignored the amused eye roll Winry gave her.

_So I got everything done yesterday and I was just trippin'._ Ivy thought to herself as she rubbed olive oil firmly between each section of her corn rows. The feeling still persisted despite the confirmation when Ivy wrapped her bandanna around her head, looping the excess into a high bun style twist close to her right ear.

The feeling would pass soon enough, Ivy thought once she had her jumpsuit on.

But even a couple hours later when Ivy was hunched over Thomas Becker's wrist cleaning and refiguring the knuckle joints in his left hand, the feeling persisted. "So how does that feel now?" Ivy asked the man, trying her best to ignore her discomfort that had nothing to do with him. "Wanna give me an experimental finger wriggle?"

"I say it's feeling great, Boss." Thomas smiled satisfactorily, his finger plates clicking pleasantly against one another. "I really gotta tell Casey to be more mindful about how she swings the jelly spoon. Six year olds." The man chuckled. "You want 'em to learn how to make their own peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and you get jelly in your automail."

Ivy nodded and screwed back on the dorsal plate. Only by becoming an automail engineer could a girl learn that the back of the hand was technically referred to as the 'dorsal side'. "I have a friend who's always wearing gloves for his automail. Maybe wear that while she's getting used to it?" Ivy gave the man the finger guns. "Better jellied gloves than grape jelly inside your dorsal plate."

Thomas grinned heartily, "you drive a hard bargain, Boss. How much do I owe you for this?"

"2,000 sens oughta cover it, my good sir." Ivy replied in a posh accent.

"Your girls are certainly getting more skilled, Garfiel." Thomas said to the man as he dug out his wallet.

"That's because they're both fast learners." Garfiel replied matter-of-factly from his own project of building a leg for Hugo Schneider. "I'm always impressed at how much they study in their free time and work outside of hours." _Only because I need to catch up to Winry._ Ivy thought with a smile as she accepted Thomas' fee. "I'll start feeling more worried when they start talking about leaving to set up their own shop here in the valley. It'll be tough competition."

"I'm pretty sure we'll be no match for you, Mr. Garfiel." Winry chuckled lightly. That, Ivy could agree with. Garfiel was like the less sparkly engineering version of Armstrong. "I finished reorganizing the toolshed like you asked."

Garfiel nodded. "Then I see no reason why you can't start on the size adjustment order now." He directed in a light, cheery tone. "I left the notes in its case on the third shelf. Her arm's grown a few centimeters, so make sure to be exact."

"Got it!" Winry beamed before skipping to where they kept stored away orders to tackle when they got to them.

Thomas left with a wave, "I'll let you guys know if I have any other problems."

"You try not to get any soon!" Ivy called back, thumbing through the bills for Mr. Garfiel's cut of 600. "Jelly under a dorsal plate, I've seen it all." Ivy chuckled to herself just imagining the mess Casey had to have made. "Here's your 600 sens Mr. Garfiel."

Garfiel accepted with an amused look, "you've truly seen everything when you have a customer coming over with a defeated look after they tried giving _themselves_ a fix." He sighed, eyes distant. "That just makes more work for poor little ole me. But they eventually learn that a mechanic's job can't be replaced so easily."

"Geez, let me prep myself for my own customer horror stories." There hopefully wouldn't be many when she did inevitably set up her own shop.

"The most picky customers are the ones that have caught on to a new trend." Garfiel went on with an annoyed look. "That's always the problem with Rush Valley when someone comes up with something brilliant. Customers want it one after the other because of a friend showing it off and raving about it."

"What is it this time?" Last month, everyone was making a big deal about hands having longer life lines. Then the month before that there was a thing with sculpted fingernails. Dominic still outright refused to get in with the trends saying his automail was just fine as is. That was probably another reason he was based so far in the mountains.

"Mr. Schneider is adamant on having encrusted kneecaps." Garfiel groaned gesturing to a very small bit of gold beside the leg. "I really don't know why anyone thinks encrusted kneecaps are a good idea, but he wants them encrusted with his initials." He muttered on quietly with a shake of his head 'what a waste of gold'.

Ivy shrugged, "maybe it's so they can feel fancy."

"Whatever the reason, the trends still help an engineer stay on their toes and master different techniques. Just try not to get too caught up in them. Your automail should speak for itself and trends only go so far."

Ivy nodded with a thumb's up. "Speaking of which, I know Elizabetta's calling me and I should go see her." She shot the man a hopeful look that there were no more tasks that needed to be done. When she got her nod of approval, Ivy grinned. The strange feeling was probably just her compulsion to finish Elizabetta 2.0. Yes, that was probably it. "So far, so good?" She asked Winry as she walked into their work room and made her way to grab Elizabetta 2.0's case.

"Yeah, size adjustment orders never really take long." Winry replied airly. "When do you think you'll be done with your arm?"

With a thoughtful hum, Ivy opened the case and took a long look at what Elizabetta 2.0 had become. She was just a forearm at this point, the culmination of a few weeks of work, and the wires and cords making up the nervous system were bunched neatly with ties to keep them from getting tangled. "Maybe one more week. I'm still pretty nervous about actually having someone test it."

The feeling just before connecting the nerves for a customer still made her anxious. Even more so the thought that there would be some imperfection in the arm. Maybe the armor would be too heavy or it would feel off-balanced. Sure Elizabetta 2.0 looked better, a lot more symmetrical thanks to the extra hours practicing with cheap steel and the micro sander, but there could be plenty wrong with the internal mechanisms. "But so far, she's looking like an elegant lady so I have high hopes. Elizabetta 1.0 looked like she was going through a rebel phase."

Elizabetta 2.0 would be nothing less than perfect by the time that Ivy finally felt she was perfect enough to be sold. Even if it took a few solid weeks to finish. _I should probably make other sizes for the model too._ Ivy was more than ready to suggest making an Elizabetta Armstrong. For the variety for any customers interested.

_Elizabetta: a steel-aluminum arm designed for the active Amestrian. A lightweight model in two varieties, Slim and Armstrong._ The catalogues could read. "You know what? I think I'll probably make one more version of Elizabetta and then attempt to sell." Ivy grinned to herself.

"Don't worry, it'll be fine." Winry's tone was reassuring, unaware of the thoughts in Ivy's mind. "You've already improved a lot since the first time you made an arm so this one is gonna be great."

Ivy sat down, the feeling in her chest dulling slightly. "Now to figure out what to price her when I finish and Mr. Garfiel thinks she's good enough to sell." Winry had sold quite a few so far with raving reviews from her new customers and Ivy was anxious to see what her own would be. "I want a fair price even if the price of automail usually makes me die a thousand times over."

Winry released a nervous chuckle, herself. "It's gonna be fine." The blonde repeated.

_More like you know there's no way to make it cheap._

With a comfortable silence falling over them, Ivy exhaled loudly and set to work. Prices would have to wait later, for now, she had an arm to build. Specifically, creating the elbow joint and attaching it to the ulnar wire system. _Last time it all just seemed so clunky, so I really wanna make sure it's a lot more slender and allow more mobility._ Ivy picked up the cylinder that would be the elbow. _I should shave it down a few degrees and try and see if it works better and get some different bolts. Alright, grinder time it is then._ Ivy stood up with a light 'oof'. _Then tomorrow I can build the hydraulic system._ "Winry, for the hydraulic system which oil do you recommend this time?"

"I say AW-46." Winry said after blowing away another chunk of metal shavings. "But I think we're running low so we'll have to buy some more."

"I'll buy some today then when it's about time to go on a break." Ivy replied as she turned the grinder on, carefully angling her gloved fingers to not get destroyed as she sanded down the elbow cylinder.

The feeling only remained as the silence continued and Ivy bit her lip to distract herself from the discomfort.

Things were fine.

There was no reason to feel like this.

Things were fine.

Things were fine when Ivy hissed in frustration when she over-sanded the elbow cylinder. Things were also fine when the wires she was twining together with her tweezers snapped despite her best efforts to be careful.

"You know what." Ivy said with a twitching eyebrow, setting her tweezers down and tossing the broken wires in the scrap box. "I'm just gonna go and buy that oil now and get some fresh air. I'm having a bad building day." The annoying twisting, sunken feeling in her chest wasn't going to help her concentrate enough right now to get out of her weird slump. It also wasn't going to help if she just kept sitting still and working when things clearly weren't going well.

Winry offered a sympathetic look, she had her fair share of bad days but today was the opposite. Her progress on the size adjustment order was steady and would probably be done by tomorrow, Ivy guesstimated. "Maybe you should get a snack while you're out too? Something to help you relax."

"Maybe I should." Ivy scratched at her bandanna covered head. She wasn't particularly hungry or thirsty, but an ice cold drink would probably do something to wash away the funk she was going through. "Did you want anything too?" Ivy said as she readied herself to go and get her wallet.

"I really like the orange juice at Clemmen's Stand, could you get me one of those? And my usual."

"Sure thing." Ivy saluted, welcoming the beam Winry shot back. "I'll be back soon, alright?"

Winry nodded, "come home safe." She said with a soft yet satisfied look, the way she looked after making a successful automail piece. Ivy's heart squeezed at the sight though the feeling tugging at her chest remained.

"I will." Ivy said when she realized Winry was still waiting for an answer. With that, Winry looked back at her work. "Mr. Garfiel," Ivy called as her tennis shoes landed roughly on the floorboards. "I'm gonna go and buy some AW-46 oil before we run out and I'm hitting up Clement's, afterwards. Did you want anything?"

"The cucumber sandwich!" The man called back.

"Alright!" Ivy called back. _I dunno why I'm even trippin'._ Things had been occurring normally for the most part, minus the lack of the morning jog. They all got to work on their respective projects, splice in the lessons from Garfiel during down time, and Paninya would show up at some odd hour or another to chat. It was a pleasant rhythm, a comforting rhythm that Ivy had no protests against since Edward and Alphonse's departure to head to their teacher.

The feeling still persisted, though.

Ivy briefly considered that it had to do with the fact that she had been gone for almost five months at this point from her world. But there was nothing that could be done about that. Everyone was on a hard reset with their abilities and journeys and there was nothing to be done about that. She did her best to smile as normal when she approached the oil shop, waving down the shop owner, Melissa. "Heyo, I'm here to get some beautiful AW-46 if there's any in!"

The woman nodded, gesturing over to a stack of brand new large cans. "We just got in a shipment yesterday." Ivy shot the woman an appreciative wink. Melissa was, honestly, gorgeous with her long black hair and steel gray eyes and undoubtedly popular. She never seemed to let it get to her though, always operating coolly with a seemingly permanent pokerface. "You don't have your shadow today?"

"My shadow?" Ivy looked over her shoulder curiously as she picked two gallons of the needed oil.

"Winry." Melissa clarified. "You two are rarely apart for long."

"Oh um, she still had some work to do and I offered to get the oil." Ivy coughed as she brought the oil to the cash register. "And we're not together that often." Just usually when they were on break and were too lazy to cook or if they had to buy some parts at the Main Street Market. Even then, Paninya would tag along occasionally.

"That'll be 3, 368 sens." If this was a while back, Ivy would have had a heart attack hearing that price. But thankfully, sens seemed to follow a completely different system than the USD. That was honestly a great price for two gallons of oil this quality. "I wouldn't have made the shadow comment, if that was really the case, by the way. The two of you are always together."

It wasn't the first time that Ivy was happy that her skin was too dark to show a blush. "We're just really good friends."

"If you say so." Melissa replied calmly as she accepted the money Ivy handed her shakily. "You might as well be a couple that's going through their cupcake phase. It won't surprise anyone if it happens, we're half expecting the two of you to open shop here in the valley. But Winry's fans will be quite disappointed."

Flusteredness only filled Ivy's chest alongside the persisting oddball emotion. "Winry's fans have nothing to worry about." The blonde had been exceptionally popular since their arrival to Rush Valley and involvement with customers. Winry insisted she had no interest in any of them though, not that ever stopped the occasional irritated twinge when Ivy noticed someone trying to put the moves on her during maintenance. "And it's way too early for me to even be thinking about setting a shop."

That garnered a look that could almost be described as surprise, "I was honestly expecting to hear that the two of you had talked about opening a shop together."

"I gotta go and get some food for everyone." Ivy's face felt hot as she lifted the handles of her cans with ease in one hand. There were benefits to her new workout regimen, not that that stopped Winry from complaining like a woman who disliked her husband's new mustache. _Damn it, now Melissa has me thinking it!_ Ivy stormed out in a huff to Clement's Stand.

Her and Winry, a couple.

Her and Winry, having a shop.

That was just preposterous yet so tantalizingly easy to imagine.

They could have some shop a good distance from Garfiel's to avoid being in direct competition. One with a built-in home. And even if they'd have petty disputes over things like something needing a triple axel versus a seven, they'd still each other.

_"I'm going to get some steel." Ivy could announce to her adoring girlfriend. "I hear there's a new type that Murray's selling, a steel with some interesting properties. I wanna nab some before it's out."_

_"Okay!" Winry could say with a large smile on her face. "Come home safe, dear!"_

_"I will, darling!"_

Ivy nearly slapped herself at the thought, shaking her head adamantly. "Your imagination needs to stay firmly planted to the ground, Carter!" She shouted, garnering a few heads turning her way.

Ivy winced at the attention and the festering cesspool in her chest flickered. This was all Melissa's fault.

* * *

Ivy sighed, sitting on her cans on the side of the street.

The food and drinks had been carefully placed in a large paper bag but that didn't change the fact that she should have just taken the oil back to the studio first. _This is still your fault, Melissa._ Ivy grumbled thinking about the beautiful yet evil shop owner. _You kept me from thinking straight. Literally._ Ivy could have snorted at her own joke but the bag was starting to get wet from the condensation of the drinks and she refused to let the sandwiches get ruined.

_Alright, Carter, time to get up and be a badass._ Ivy stood up carefully, readying to pick up the cans again.

"Well if it isn't the mechanic I was hoping to run into!" A familiar voice called and Ivy looked behind her.

"And if it isn't Edward and Alphonse Elric." Ivy grinned widely at the sight. "It's been a minute, guys! Al, gimme some love!"

The younger boy chuckled as he leaned lower, welcoming the tussle on his head. Ivy poked at the small teather of feathers that acted as the helmet's hair. "It's good seeing you again, Ivy. Has your training been going well?"

"Yep!" Ivy answered cheerily as the boy stood up. She looked over at Edward, gesturing him to come forward and meet his ruffle of doom. "And you guys? How was it at your teacher's?"

"Fine enough." Edward said, surprisingly accepting the act of affection. "What?" He asked defensively when he saw the look of surprise on Ivy's face.

"I just figured you'd put up more of a fight when it came to getting your hair tussled." Ivy said after she regained her composure. "Al? I can be as great a sister as I want, but you complain too much, short stack." A temple burst onto Edward's forehead. "Speaking of which, did you get shorter? Or is just me getting taller? Something you know nothing about." Ivy guffawed obnoxiously, each 'ha' punctuating a firm pat on Edward's head.

Edward had three temples bulging on his forehead by the time he brandished a fist. "WHY YOU-"

"Brother, remember why we were trying to run into Ivy first?"

Edward stopped just short of swinging, a look of fear on his face and Ivy shook her head. "Don't tell me you busted your arm again." The sweat that began raining down Edward's face told Ivy everything she needed to know. So much for peace and quiet. At least Edward managed to go longer than two weeks, not that Winry would see a difference either way. "Let's go get your head bashed in, I guess."

"Don't let her hurt me, please!" Edward begged, falling onto his knees. "I'll do anything! I'll call you super amazing awesome big sister from now on! I'll buy you all the oil that you need for your hair! Just don't let her throw anything at me!"

Ivy pinched the bridge of her nose. The feeling in her chest swirled.

_Is it just me developing a sense for when Edward is gonna come back ready to cry about his arm? It probably is just me developing a sense for when Edward is gonna break his arm._

* * *

"Winry, I'm back!" Ivy announced as Atelier Garfiel came into focus. "I got the food and oil! And some stragglers."

"Are they customers?" Winry called before popping her head around the entrance, blinking in surprise then smiling pleasantly. "Ed, Al! Welcome back? What are you both doing here?"

Edward flinched back and pushed Ivy forward. Ugh. "Winry?"

"What?"

"Ed needs maintenance, please don't throw a wrench at him."

There was a pause before blue eyes narrowed, zeroing in on the boy behind Ivy's shoulder. "How much maintenance does he need?" Winry asked suspiciously.

"Ed, mind showing us what's gonna need fixing?"Edward could only offer the most fragile of smiles as he displayed the wrecked state his arm was in. The dorsal plate was missing entirely as well as the casing for the forearm and he was missing the external phalanges on his thumb and pinkie. Ivy winced. At least it wasn't completely destroyed but it was scratched to hell. Winry practically had a demon looming over her. "Winry, please? Let's cut him some slack, it's been a while since he wrecked it."

Winry inhaled deeply, trembling, and held the position for a few moments before releasing a heavy breath. "Get your butt in the chair so I can look over what's missing before I change my mind not to absolutely murder you." She grumbled quietly, turning around with a grouchy walk.

Edward nearly had tears in his eyes. "You're welcome, champ." Ivy whispered before following after Winry. "I'm gonna give Mr. Garfiel his sandwich. Al, can you set that oil down in the corner next to the tensile machine? It's the thing next to the drill press."

"Sure thing!"

Ivy found the man in the back pulling out wire covers from the storage. "Back already?"

"And with a cucumber sandwich and a lovely ice tea." Ivy said, fishing the contents out of the bag.

"Why thank you." Garfiel said, taking his order. "I heard voices from the front. Do we have customers?"

"Yep, Winry's childhood friends are stopping by. What about Paninya? Is she here fixing the roof now?" The former pickpocket was scheduled to stop by and fix a small leak in the roof. It wasn't much now, but it was going to be a real pain when the rainy season hit, so Garfiel had gone ahead and purchased her services. "I got her some stuff too."

"She should be wrapping up just about now." Garfiel pointed to the roof. "She deserves a meal for the help she's given us time and time again."

Sure enough, the girl had finished and had been chatting with Alphonse. Winry, on the other hand, was snapping away at Edward. "No matter how old you get, you never listen to my advice!" The blonde raged as Ivy awkwardly set aside on a small table the sandwiches and drinks. "What are you, a kid?"

"Cut me a break." Edward mumbled testily. He might have avoided a wrench getting swung at his head in the beginning, but whether or not Ivy could stop it a second time was in the air. "We managed to make some progress like Al said. We managed to get some info from our Teacher that's important and then stuff happened. What about you guys? Your training going along well?"

Winry brightened up at the question, "it's going great! I came up with a way to make an automail machine gun!" She proudly held up the notes she compiled.

"Are you turning into a mad scientist?" Edward said blankly, unimpressed. "Don't look at me with innocent eyes when you're creating combat automail."

Ivy took a sip of her tea, "Elizabetta's turning out pretty well if I say so myself." She flexed her free arm. "And I can gladly say that working with all this machinery is making me even hotter."

Edward gagged. "I thought you were exercising your ability to craft prosthetics, not your ability to lift weights."

"I'm doing both." Ivy said, eyeballing Winry's own look of dismay. "Winry isn't happy about it though."

"You said you were going for an Armstrong look!" The blonde cried indignantly, Edward and Alphonse started choking.

"The Armstrong look?" Paninya's eyebrows knit in confusion. "I don't get it."

"'S not important and the point is I'm getting healthier!"

"But like _Armstrong_!?" Edward choked on his own laughter he was failing to keep contained. "Oh god, that's great!"

"I said that I didn't want to get _that_ muscular! Just a little more! Think about it, it'd come in handy if we had some jerk customers coming in trying to shake us for free maintenance!" No one would do it if Ivy stepped out, arms flexing.

"I don't think anyone would even come _near_ our shop if you stepped out with that curl and mustache." Winry shuddered as she wrapped bandages around Edward's forearm as a mock casing. "I've been trying to stop her. But she just keeps doing more pushups!"

"I-Ivy-" Brown eyes shot Alphonse a look of betrayal. "I-I agree with Winry. I think you're already at peak health for your age!"

"You guys suck." Ivy said sourly.

Edward waved a hand. "Relax. If anything like that happened, Winry would just throw a wrench at them and they'd back off like that." He flinched when Winry's eyes landed on him at the mention of a wrench being thrown. "_Anyway_, we're gonna head to Central to do some research next when you finish the arm."

"Central?" Winry perked up at the mention. "Take me with you guys!" She exclaimed as she stood up to grab a parts chart.

"What for?" Edward asked incredulously, raising an eyebrow.

Winry smiled, holding the board to her chest. "I'd like to thank Mr. Hughes and his family for housing me!"

"That's right, Brother!" Alphonse chirped from the bench he shared with Paninya. "We still haven't thanked him from before!"

"Ah right, from when I was in the hospital." Edward's gold eyes flashed in realization. "What about you, Ivy? Wanna come too?"

Ivy looked carefully at Garfiel who had quietly entered earlier during the muscle debate, with a thoughtful hum. "Oh." Winry said, tone considerably dull. "We have work."

Garfiel smiled gently, "it's fine if you want to go on a brief vacation." He said standing over the Schneider order. "You've been working very hard like little bees since you became my apprentices."

"Then it's a yes from me, chief!" Ivy grinned.

"Thanks so much, Mr. Garfiel!" Winry smiled.

"It looks like we're all heading to Central then." Edward said lightly with a smile, Alphonse nodding in agreement.

"Alright." Winry clicked her tongue, pleased. Her blue eyes skimmed over the clipboard in her arms. "Now I've just gotta go and restock the parts, so you two just hang out awhile." She pointed her pencil in their direction. "Try not to get into any more trouble."

"Ugh, what are we supposed to do in a town full of automail shops though?" Edward groaned. "I-"

Ivy held up a hand, "I've got work to do too, sorry." She said with an apologetic look. "I wanna finish my arm before we take off to Central, so I gotta kick it into overdrive." Edward only groaned once again, already looking like he was ready to melt into a puddle from the boredom. "Why don't y'all talk with Mr. Garfiel? He's pretty fun. He has this great book about carbon fi-"

Edward and Alphonse dashed out immediately.

"... Brats." Ivy hissed.

Paninya laughed heartily. "Can't blame them for running for the hills! The mechanics here are nutty!"

"Oh get out and take your sandwich with you!" Ivy snapped, chasing the handygirl off. "Have fun getting those parts, Winry." She said, turning at the girl who was giving one last look at her clipboard.

"I still can't believe you stopped me from destroying him." Winry said pointedly but her eyes stayed trained on her clipboard. "I'm definitely gonna smack him the next time this happens. He can't ever come back for maintenance." Winry grumbled some more. "Never even calls in advance. I'm hitting him with an extra fee for it."

"Winry, your inner Rush Valley mechanic is coming out." Ivy chuckled, leaning against a wall. "Try not to charge him too hard."

Winry stuck her nose in the air, not even commenting on it. "I'll be back soon." She looked at the table set with food. "Sorry, I can't eat any of it now. But knowing them, this is something that'll be a rush job so I should get to the market right away." Blue eyes shone apologetically.

Ivy shrugged. That was true enough, all the more reason to set to work on Elizabetta right away "Don't worry about it. We can eat together when you get back, there'll be enough time for a small break then." She kicked herself back onto her feet, setting her iced tea on the table. "So come home safe."

Winry smiled widely, "I will."

_"Come home safe, dear!"_

_"I will, darling!"_

_"You might as well be a couple that's going through their cupcake phase. It won't surprise anyone if it happens."_

Ivy stopped herself from groaning in disdain as she quietly made her way to her worktable. "Alright, alright. Time to work." Ivy sat down heavily in her chair, gazing down at Elizabetta's form. _If I do an all nighter tonight and tomorrow and wrap up the elbow joint and do the hydraulics system tonight, maybe I can get this done by the time Winry finishes up the repairs for Ed._ Ivy picked up her tweezers and grabbed two copper wires. _Don't snap on me this time._

She held them as firmly as she could without practically mashing them together and slowly began the process of twisting them together. If Ivy continued on without incident, it was likely she would be able to begin the hydraulics before nightfall. There needed to be a few more wires for the ulnar nerves in this particular area to craft before any real work could be done to connect the elbow cylinder that was used as a base for the beginning of the hydraulics. A process so delicate that Ivy knew she might as well start the whole arm over again if she fudged it.

If only Akasha could see me now. Ivy smiled sorrowfully as the girl swept through her mind.

_"I can't believe you." Her green eyes would flash in annoyance. "You go to the world of FMA and you learn how to build automail!?"_

_"Automail is an artform, my child." Ivy would reply coolly, showing off Elizabetta 2.0 in her glossy case. "And alchemy was way too hard to figure out. But lemme tell you a thing or two about the amount of intricate metal work that can be done when steel is alloyed with aluminum! And did you know that steel is actually more elastic than rubber? Quit running away and let me explain this to you!"_

Ivy chuckled to herself.

Akasha would definitely think that she wasted her time but at least Ivy knew that the process of crafting automail was something to be in awe of. Something that could change a life for the better. Something that was maybe a lot better than alchemy. Ivy knew that much and no amount of Akasha's cringing would be able to change her mind.

Ivy worked in silence for about an hour, twining wire after wire just in case snapping occurred once more.

It really wasn't a busy day that day. Ivy realized. Aside from Thomas, there'd been no other customer that had showed up- not counting Edward.

_Works for me, I guess._ Ivy set down her tweezers at last with a satisfied nod. She had more than enough wires to compensate for any potential breaks while she connected and soldered them to the terminal joints of the elbow. Ivy grabbed the mini blowtorch and her protective goggles.

_**BOOM.**_

Ivy jolted from her seat, dropping her newly acquired materials on the ground. _Was that an explosion?!_ "Mr. Garfiel, are you alright?!" Ivy called, running to the front of the store where her mentor was standing in shock as she looked on outside.

"I'm fine, but what on earth?" The man said, dazed. "Explosions in Rush Valley? That isn't something that happens often."

Everyone on the street was gossiping, watching as two clouds of smoke billowed into the air. Some dashed ahead to see what the ruckus was, others just went on about their business claiming it was probably some engineering project gone wrong.

"... It's probably Edward and Alphonse." Ivy said, a knowing feeling in her chest.

"Do explosions usually follow them where they go?" Garfiel asked.

"Let's just say they attract trouble the way honey attracts flies." Ivy eyed the smoke clouds. She felt anxious but she was sure enough that Alphonse and Edward were fine, though she wouldn't be able to say that for long if Edward came back with his arm even more bashed. I dunno know if I'll be able to save you from Winry's wrath at that point, Edboy.

Garfiel crossed his arms thoughtfully, "well if it was military, there would be a lot worse of a reaction so I suppose things are fine enough." He turned back around and headed inside. "Let's get back to work then."

Ivy stared out into the distance for a few more moments before following suit. "No need to tell me twice."

"Do you need any help with your project?" Garfiel asked as he watched his second pupil head back to the workshop area.

Ivy shook her head nonchalantly, "I think that so far things are good. It's just been a rougher construction day." She thought back to the instances with the first elbow cylinder and the wires that kept snapping. "But it looks like I've got my groove back. If I stay up all night, I should be able to get the hydraulics crafted by tomorrow and I can start working on the biceps. Then from there I can finish up by making all the plating."

"Remember what I said about the micro sander." Garfiel said, pointing a screwdriver in her direction. "Small corrections, not complete redesigns."

Ivy groaned with a nod, remembering what happened with Elizabetta 1.0. She got so caught up in the small details she sanded the hell out of her and everything got uneven. Clunky and uneven, the worst thing possible for an automail engineer. "I'll try not to go overboard this time."

Ivy stretched as she made her way back to her worktable. Those two better be alright. She thought as she picked up her fallen materials.

* * *

Ivy took a brief break when her mentor asked her to take out the trash.

Winry had yet to return yet, the ice in their drinks long since melted into the rest of the liquid. Edward and Alphonse were still out as well. Ivy was sure things were alright though considering the amount of peace in the valley as the sky approached sun setting hours. Rush Valley was the same as it always was, save for the occasional comment about a short alchemist wrecking the town all over again.

_Figures. They really can't stay out of trouble for long._

There was no mention of any engineers that tried hounding said alchemist into a deal to repair his arm, so Ivy at least guessed that Edward's arm was in the same condition as when he left. A silver lining was always somewhere to be found when one looked hard enough.

Ivy set down the placed her trash bag into the nearest trash can, holding her breath. Chores could never be escaped even when you were in a fictional count- Ivy stopped when she saw a flash of yellow and black on the ground. Setting the lid down, Ivy peered over to see what could have just gone by, half expecting it to be a cat.

Full unexpecting it to be a person collapsed on the ground.

Ivy shrieked almost immediately as she rushed to the man's side. "H-hey!" She pulled the guy up into a sitting position and gaped at his pale skin. He was handsome, long black hair pulled into a ponytail and garbed in loose white trousers and an open yellow shirt. Ivy wasn't blind to the sword that was sheathed on his back, though. Still, she braced herself. Regardless of why he had the weapon, this guy still needed help. "Do you think you can stand?!"

The man garbled some nonsense Ivy couldn't make out. "What was that?" She asked, leaning closer to his lips.

"F-food."

"Don't worry, we have something for you to eat at the shop!" Ivy struggled a bit to get herself and the man on their feet. "It's literally the shop next door. Everything will be alright, I promise! Mr. Garfiel! Can you get some water?! This guy collapsed in the alley next door!"

"What!?"

Ivy huffed, trying to catch her breath when the dust finally settled and the stranger was sat at the table scarfing down what was once her sandwich in seconds. "Thank you so much for the help!" The man said with a large smile, his voice was surprisingly young for how big he was. Maybe he was younger than he looked. "Honestly, this is the second time I've collapsed so far and you were so quick to help me! Amestrians are so kind!"

Ivy shook a hand bashfully, "it's really no trouble." She smiled, relieved that the guy seemed alright. "I was more freaked out finding some random guy collapsed in an alley. Are you sure you don't need to go to, like, a doctor or something?" She eyed him carefully.

"No, no, I'm fine." He replied, unwrapping what was once Winry's sandwich and taking a large bite. "This is just what I needed!"

Ivy sighed, well as long as the guy was sure. She took a closer look at him. He was clearly Asian, something she hadn't seen at all in her limited traveling of Amestris. This world was clearly a lot more diverse than she thought it was. "So, where are you from?" She asked. "I mean, unless you're from here and I'm just being insensitive about your nationality." She added quickly.

The boy shook his head, "not at all, you're right I'm not from here. I'm actually from Xing."

"The large empire east of the desert?" Ivy looked to her left, seeing Garfiel arrive with a tray full of teacups and cookies.

Ivy kept her mouth glued shut firmly, lest she accidentally outted herself as someone who knew nothing about the country she supposedly grew up in and its neighbors. She eyed Ling's clothing once again as the boy went on to confirm Garfiel's inquiry. His clothes definitely looked nothing like a kimono or anything else she'd seen in whatever period anime Akasha would have on. _So Xing is China-inspired?_ _I wonder what this place's version of the African continent is looking like then._ _I can only imagine the countries there considering the variety._ "Indeed! I'm here on a trip with my travel companions, though I've seemed to have lost them."

His voice was light despite the disconcerting news about his lost friends. He even laughed a bit when Ivy raised the point. "I'm sure we're going to run into each other again sooner or later, they always manage to find me. I tend to get a bit lost from time to time. But at least it led me to meeting two lovely people!"

"Oh stop!" Garfiel gushed and Ivy pursed her lips as her mentor went on like a schoolgirl. "Flattery will get you nowhere! Just call me Garfiel!" He introduced himself gleefully, handing the boy a teacup bordered with rose print.

"Ling Yao, it's a pleasure to meet you both." Ling revealed his name at last. "And you, Miss?"

Ivy took her own teacup, "Ivy. Welcome to Amestris."

Ling grinned even more wide, "I'm certainly feeling welcomed! If I had known how lovely and kind the women were here, I would have visited ages ago."

Ivy coughed. Alright, so this guy _was_ charming. "It's like Mr. Garfiel said, flattery is getting you nowhere!" She took a small sip of her tea. It could probably get this guy somewhere if he kept it up actually. "Do you think your friends are somewhere nearby? What do they look like? I can help you look for them."

"Well, the most easily identifiable is a girl around my age with brown-"

"H-honestly, flattery is gonna get you nowhere!" Edward's voice cut Ling short. His voice was pleasantly flustered. Smug even. "I know that my name is known far and wide and that it's garnered me plenty of attention, but I don't say I've ever considered having an apprentice before."

Alphonse's tired voice followed after, "you're honestly enjoying the attention, Brother."

"Shush, Al! The girl admires my work as an alchemist!"

Ivy was sure her expression was something akin to all those The Office memes. "Well, here comes two of mine." She said tersely, just imagining the smug face Edward likely had talking to this random girl. "Let me see if I can rope them into helping us out, alright?"

"No problem with me." Ling replied cheerily, a smile still remaining as Ivy stood up. The guy had a lot of positive energy going for someone lost in a foreign country, separated from his friends.

"I'm serious!" A feminine voice piped up warmly. "I've always been a big fan of your alchemy! I've had some training in alchemy with a skilled teacher but nothing compares to the stories I've heard about you circulating while I was traveling!"

Ivy froze.

That voice.

"You're seriously gonna tempt me into saying yes to your begging!"

"Brother, I'm not really sure if we even have the time for you to take on an apprentice right now."

"Come on, Al, this girl is clearly someone who admires me! She doesn't even call me short!"

"That's not a good reason to apprentice someone though, Brother!"

"I promise not to get in the way!"

Ivy knocked down a chair as she dashed outside, her heart was beating a million miles per hour, blood roared in her ears. It couldn't be. There was seriously just no way. The feeling from before was swirling in her chest like a typhoon. Alphonse's next retort to Edward's newfound fan came from the left and Ivy whipped her head so quickly, she heard a light cracking noise, eyes narrowing on the girl standing beside Edward who was smiling brightly.

Her hair was long and brown and even in the dimness of the orange sky, Ivy could see the green.

Yet nothing was more damning than the jacket the girl was wearing. Black with large white lines shooting down the sleeves with a gill-shaped pattern. _Samezuka._

A name Ivy only knew from the countless times she butchered it only to get met with defensive screeches about how she was saying it wrong on purpose when the angered soul was heavily into an anime about swimming.

Ivy didn't dare breathe as her lips trembled in disbelief. "Akasha?" She asked hoarsely.

Akasha froze in place before slowly turning to face Ivy properly and her green eyes widened. "Ivy?" She whimpered.

Ivy slapped a hand over her mouth. _Akasha!_ Ivy practically tackled the girl, forcing her a few steps backwards, breathing heavily. Akasha was warm and solid in her arms and Ivy could have cried because of that fact alone. "It's you." Ivy whispered. "It's really you."

"I-I thought-" Akasha choked, cutting herself off as her fingers dug into Ivy's shoulder blades

"Don't you dare cry." Ivy snapped, tightening her grip. "Don't you dare cry right now. Or _I'm_ gonna cry and then you're gonna cry even more-"

"But I thought you were gone." Ivy's eyes watered as she heard the raspy cry. "I-I thought you were gone and- and- I was so lonely! And alone! And-and you were just _here_ the entire time?! There were police and it was on the news and-"

"I'm sorry." Ivy squeezed her friend tighter, the tears slipped out little by little and Ivy squeezed tighter. "I'm really sorry. I was trying to come home, I'm trying. I'm trying."

That didn't stop Akasha's wails from hitting the air or the snot that got on Ivy's chest. "You're such an asshole, Ivy Carter! A big asshole!" Akasha spat weakly but her grip didn't loosen.

"I'm really sorry."

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

And the quickly uploaded chapter 17 to save me from the embarrassment that was chapter 16 :) and with a fun ending.

Akasha has finally been inserted into the story along with our favorite Xingese travelers. Well, some of our favorite Xingese travelers. I've had this bit of the story written out for a while in my non-linear writing folder and was honestly really excited to finally share it. Even in the original incarnation of this story, Ivy and Akasha were supposed to meet up again in Rush Valley but under different circumstances. I call this growth. It's def growth in comparison to Chapter 16. Idk what it is but no matter what I did with it, it just came out bad and horrendous and nothing like I wanted so instead of waiting a week to publish chapter 17, I just went ahead and did it since I wanted to at least have a more quality chapter out.

Plus, I could at least have a fun buzz generated between this update and the next with speculation about Akasha's arrival in the story considering what little the readers already know about her from chapters 1 and 2. Interested in hearing the theories.


	18. The Little Things Count Too

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** Ivy has it rough. She's no anime fan or FMA fan. But when she somehow crosses the gate, she finds herself in the worst possible position: a protagonist of an Another World fic trope. And between the alchemy, automail, lack of plot knowledge, and struggling with her attraction to a pretty blonde mechanic, Ivy reluctantly teams up with the main characters in her journey to get home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

"There you go, 'Kasha." Ivy whispered as she pulled the cover over Akasha's sleeping form on her bed. Her eyes felt puffy and it stung when she blinked but none of that mattered right now when she looked on at her best friend sleeping in front of her. Akasha had exhausted herself right the hell out. Ivy smiled fondly, wishing she could do the same. "See you in the morning, nerd." Ivy said softly before taking her leave into the hallway, chest bumping into Winry's forehead.

Ivy guessed she really had grown a bit taller these past few months. "Sorry about that, Win." Ivy stepped to the side, gesturing to the door. "Did you need to get something?"

Winry shook her head, eyes drifting to Ivy's bed where Akasha lay. "I just wanted to check on your friend." Winry had arrived not too long after Akasha had somehow graced herself to the shop, surprised by the scene taking place in front of it. "Is she okay? That's Akasha, right?"

"The one and only." Ivy looked back at the bed, thankful Akasha hadn't moved an inch despite their talking. "I never thought I'd see her in Rush Valley."

"She looked like she really missed you."

Ivy winced remembering Akasha's words. News, police, the works. "Yeah. I guess when I… ran away and she heard about it, she didn't take it that well." Ivy had figured that things weren't entirely the best since she wandered into Amestris, but it was different hearing about it from someone that was there to experience it all.

Winry placed her hands on her hips, blue eyes firm. "You need to apologize to her when she wakes up."

"What?" Ivy said, startled. "I already did."

"You should double apologize for making her feel bad." Winry replied matter-of-factly. "I know you said that the situation at home was bad, but you should have found a way to tell your best friend if you would be going off somewhere. You didn't call anyone once when we were in Resembool or here." Ivy shrunk as Winry continued on. "So you should apologize again, just for good measure."

"_Yes_, Winry." Ivy closed one eye with a sigh. "You're never gonna let me live it down if I don't, huh?"

"Nope." Winry popped the P. "Not at all."

"Not even if I make some last minute dinner?" Ivy offered sly.

"I'll take the last minute dinner, but you're still in trouble until you talk properly with your friend." Winry looped their arms together before leading the way to the kitchen and Ivy sighed once again. "That aside," Winry smiled. "I can't wait to meet her properly in the morning. I wanna meet your friends."

Ivy did her best not grimace at that hopeful proclamation. "Yeah, she's great…"

_"She's the most annoying character in the show!"_

_"She's basically useless!"_

_"She has no place in anything and is basically just shoved wherever, no fighting or alchemical abilities!"_

_"If you start liking Winry- or May Chang- I'll have to fight you!"_

_"Why does she have to exist in an otherwise perfect show!? She and May should just disappear dnfdkfdns!"_

"Maybe I should make something she likes in the morning for breakfast." Winry's contemplative tone brought Ivy back to the situation at hand. "What kind of stuff does she like eating?"

"Why are you getting so fidgety? I'm the one who has to do all the apologizing or I meet your fury."

"Your best friend from childhood finds out you ran away from home and that you've been spending your time doing an apprenticeship in Rush Valley without telling her anything?" Winry said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "If I were her, I wouldn't just stop at throwing wrenches at you. I'd have a thing or two to say to the people you were staying with."

_And Christ would Akasha have a lot to say to you under particular circumstances._ A TV screen or manga panel between their faces circumstances. "Thank the automail gods that she doesn't have any interest in automail then."

Winry giggled lightly, "maybe we can convert her?"

"Doubt it." _And I doubt she would especially go along with it if it were you trying to do the converting._ When they reached the kitchen, Winry let go of her grip on Ivy's arm as Ivy headed straight for the cabinet. "She likes pancakes though, she's pretty basic in terms of breakfast foods."

"Then we're having pancakes for breakfast." Winry announced firmly. "And you two are gonna make up before then."

"Got it." Ivy agreed. "She can be easily won over with pancakes, so it's gonna be fine." She nodded her head to the hall. "Why don't you take a shower right quick, though before Mr. Garfiel hops in. You know he takes forever to get out."

Winry winced, "you're right. I'll try not to wake up Akasha."

"Don't use up all the hot water." Ivy called softly as the blonde disappeared around the corner. _Please be bought off easily with pancakes._ Ivy thought as she filled a large pot with water. Spaghetti would be something quick and easy, something her mom taught her to cook way back in middle school in preparation for the foretold broke college student life. The kitchen was silent for long as the familiar steps of steel came closer and closer. "Hey, guys." Ivy said without looking. She didn't need to look. "Thanks. For bringing Akasha here. I know you guys probably didn't really know who she was but I'm happy she's safe. I can only imagine what could have happened if she ran into someone who wasn't safe."

"I completely forgot you mentioned that name before, I should have figured there was a connection. That Ling guy told us she was traveling with them across the desert." Edward said, crossing his one remaining arm. She barely even noticed before that it had been ripped off. "Do you think they know about where you guys come-"

Ivy held up a hand before Edward could finish, straining her ears. When she could hear the familiar sound of the shower head turning on, she looked over at the golden-eyed boy. "Don't know." She said, mindful to keep her voice low. "But I'm pretty sure she told them a cover story like how I did with the Rockbells. They probably asked if she was an Amestrian from Central, she panicked and said yes, and when she got here she was able to make up more stuff as she went along." If they came from the east, then they had to have passed enough towns for her to make a plausible story. Not that it would honestly be hard for Akasha considering her knowledge of this world. "Which would explain why she knows a lot about you." Ivy said as calmly as possible. "It doesn't seem like Ling's ever been here before either, so she had that working for her."

Edward scowled at the mention of his name, "that jerk came all the way to Amestris to research alchemy and he doesn't even practice it."

Ivy raised an eyebrow, "who comes to a country to research something they don't actually do?"

"Ling apparently." Alphonse said.

That almost made Ivy laugh. Of course, Edward's sarcasm would rub off on the good brother at some point. Unfortunately, the next thing out of the younger Elric's mouth wiped all sense of amusement out of her system. "He's looking for the Philosopher's Stone."

"What for?" Ivy grimaced as she set the eye of the stove on a decent enough temperature.

"He's looking for the answer to immortality." Edward's face was as dark as Ivy felt on the inside. "We met a guy not too long ago in Dublith asking the same thing. Xing's alchemy- alkahestry- is based on medicinal principles. I don't know anything about it but I'm guessing it's safe to say that it doesn't contain much on the Stone if he had to come all the way to another country to learn more about it. He said it was for family matters."

The hair on the back of Ivy's neck settled slightly. "So he doesn't know anything about the process to make one?"

"It's likely."

Ivy released a sigh of relief. "Good. If I knew that was who Akasha was traveling with, I'd flip my lid. I'll ask her more about him when she wakes up."

"You said that alchemy exists in your world, right Ivy? Just not to the extent it does here." Ivy nodded at Alphonse's question. "Then do you have a Philosopher's Stone there?"

Ivy crossed her arms, "technically. Like, I've only really heard about it once and that was for a book series called Harry Potter. Book one, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone." Ivy considered herself a proud Slytherin and Akasha a Gryffindor, not that the Elrics would get the reference at all. "But that was just for magic stuff in a book for kids. The villain of the series wanted it to be immortal and it could create gold. Magically."

"Magic?" The golden-eyed boy looked aghast. "There's a book about the Philosopher's Stone and it's for _magic_. I almost wanna go to your world and burn every copy of that book with my bare hands."

"Oh have some creative liberties, Edward Elric, that's my childhood you're making fun of. The series was freaking amazing, mind you and I'd kill to go to that magic school Harry was at. Hogwarts was the shit, my guy." _Minus the basilisk in the plumbing, the troll in the girl's bathroom, and the tree that can kill you in the front yard._ Ivy thought in amusement. "Al would totally be a Hufflepuff. But I can see him as Gryffindor too. And Ed… honestly after the petty stuff I've seen you do, you'd be in Slytherin."

"Huffle what?" Edward repeated in confusion.

"I'll give you a dramatic retelling of the story as I crack down and make this spaghetti." Ivy grinned, she needed the entertainment. "So the story starts with the this guy named Voldemort that looks like Edward but if Edward looked hideous-"

"You know what-"

"I said _if_, Ed, geez. There's no normies in this family, sit down." Ivy could barely get through much of the story without an interruption occuring after that as she cooked, Alphonse offering more help than Edward did. The blond alchemist was more than happy to make snarky remarks throughout. Mostly about the falsehoods of magic but Ivy could at least agree with him when it came to Dudley needing a good clock in the face. "He almost gets eaten by a Dementor in book five."

"Almost?" Edward groaned. "Whatever a Dementor is, it did a shit job. Why the hell would this Dumbledore leave him with this family and not just bring him somewhere without any previous resentments."

"There's been some interesting theories about that back home but that requires me getting through at least book six for some major Petunia backstory. Al, pass me the pepper?"

"Do they at least improve throughout the series by book six?" Alphonse asked as he passed the pepper shaker.

Ivy hesitated too long before Edward rolled his eyes and Alphonse released a breath of disappointment. "So should I just start off back at the part where Hagrid and Harry get to the bank or-"

"What are you guys even talking about?" Winry stood in the doorway with an amused look on her face.

"Books." Ivy, Alphonse, and Edward managed to say in complete unison.

"Dinner's just about done, by the way." Ivy said, this time on her own. "Ed, set the table and we can complain about Dudley later."

"I'll help too." Winry walked to the china cabinet, pep clearly in her step.

"Someone's happy." Ivy noted as she watched the blonde stack a few plates carefully in her hands.

"It's nice to have a meal with more people here, that's all." Winry said happily.

Dinner went relatively peacefully, though Edward occasionally said something that garnered a beseeching look from his mechanic. Discussions about training went back and forth, Garfiel occasionally chipping in with a bit of advice for his own apprentices until it was late enough that it was time to call it a night.

"I won't be able to start on Ed's arm until tomorrow since I don't have nearly enough parts to get started on building it." Winry yawned as she and Ivy walked to the back. "So I'm gonna get some sleep, you?"

Edward was taking a shower and Alphonse was right beside Garfiel helping to dry the dishes. Ling had gone but Ivy had no doubt that they would run into him again. He seemed too important to be some random guy they'd never encounter again. Especially knowing that he coveted the Stone. Ivy pushed those thoughts aside, realizing Winry was still waiting for an answer. "I'm probably gonna stay up and work on Elizabetta all night. Pretty sure I can finish her faster if I start doing some." Right as Ivy finished her sentence, a yawn forced its way through her mouth.

"Sounds like you need some sleep too." Winry joked.

"Hey, I only yawned because yawns are conta-" Another yawn made a way out of her mouth and Ivy sniffed indignantly. "I stand by what I was saying."

"Today was a busy day." Winry said lightly, pushing Ivy further down the hall when the workshop came into view. "You can work on her tomorrow when you've made up with your friend."

"No." Ivy whined. "I haven't even taken a shower."

"Take a quick one after Ed gets out or take one early in the morning." Came a stern reply that left no room for arguing. "But no going back to work."

"Normally our roles are switched on this." Ivy whispered the closer they got to their shared room.

"I like to surprise you from time to time." Winry said as they entered the space. Akasha was out cold, sprawled over the bed wildly, snoring lightly. "You can just share with me." Winry said with a light giggle. "She seems like a messy sleeper."

Ivy shook her head at the sight. "Used to slap me silly during sleepovers when we were ten and never noticed anything." She said as she changed into her pajamas and readjusting her bandanna to a more sleep-sturdy position. Shower in the morning it was then. Her eyes were about ready to shut permanently with every slow stinging blink she had.

Winry was scooched all the way to the wall her bed touched by the time Ivy was ready to drag herself under the covers. "You win, I'm sleepin'." Ivy yawned once again.

"Told you you were tired." Even as they whispered, Ivy knew that the blonde's tone was teasing.

"Yeah yeah." Ivy mumbled sleepily, laying flat on her back. "Night. You're on pancake duty tomorrow."

Winry snuggled closer into Ivy's shoulder, an action that normally would have made her heart shoot off into the sun. She was too tired to freak out appropriately, only closing her eyes and leaning closer to the warmth offered. "Night." Winry mumbled back. It didn't take much longer for sleep to follow after that.

* * *

Ivy's first thought when she woke up the following day was: _I'm on the wrong side of the room._

Her bed was much closer to the door that led out of their room and into the rest of their housing quarters. The bed she was in now, was too far left and was placed right beneath the room window. Ivy sat up, rubbing her eyes. _Why am I in Winry's bed?_ She glanced down at the girl who was still asleep, blonde hair strewn around messily on the pillow they shared.

The memories of yesterday came surging to her mind and Ivy's neck did a U-turn as she looked back to her own bed.

Sure enough, Akasha was still laying there knocked right out.

None of that was a dream.

Ivy sighed, laying back down and staring at the ceiling.

Akasha was here in Amestris.

The feeling from yesterday returned churning in Ivy's stomach. On one hand, she was pleased. Ivy no longer had to endure Amestris alone like a chicken running without its head, worrying if her actions could affect things should she make the slightest deviation. There'd be someone who could keep her calm if things got out of hand. And there was that underlying security of the fact that there was someone here with her that would be able to understand what she was going through, being in a whole new world totally unlike her own while vaguely similar.

Then there was the other hand.

The one Ivy knew from the moment she arrived in Resembool and tried imagining what Akasha would do in her place. The answer she knew from even before she wound up here.

_And now we're both here and she's met Ed._ Ivy frowned deeply, remembering the girl's attempts to get Edward to apprentice her. _I have no idea what she even told him herself aside from being a big fan._ Something that could at least be somewhat neatly covered up if Akasha said she heard through her travels in Amestris that she heard of a golden haired and eyed alchemist.

Yet ultimately, Ivy knew how this would play out.

Akasha was in the world of her dreams, able to talk to the boy of her dreams, something she could do everyday for the rest of her life should she choose to stay. So why wouldn't she?

_God, this is getting messier._ Ivy huffed quietly as she sat up again, looking at Winry's sleeping face. Hesitantly, Ivy laid a head atop her head, gently tugging her fingers through the strands much easier than she would her own curly mass of hair. _I guess I don't really have much room to judge her._ Ivy had always knocked Akasha on her crush on Edward, and here she was crushing on Edward's love interest.

_We both have shit taste in crushes, Akasha._

Ivy flinched when Winry shuffled onto her back, eyes opening slowly, whipping her hand away. Blue eyes looked blearily into brown, a small smile gracing Winry's features. "Morning." Winry said, voice a bit hoarse from sleep. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yep." Ivy hoped she looked and sounded as nonchalantly as she was trying to project. "Like a baby."

"Is Akasha awake?" Winry yawned.

"Out like a light." Ivy replied.

Winry sat up herself for a few seconds before leaning over and thumping her head on Ivy's shoulder, yawning again. "I need to get up and make her pancakes then. There's a lot more people to make them for."

"Wrangle Ed into helping you flip some pancakes?."

"No way, Ed could burn water if he tried hard enough, I'll ask Al instead." Winry snorted at the thought.

Ivy smiled at the girl on her shoulder. How Akasha could ever manage to hate someone that thoughtful, she had no idea. _Once you actually get to know her in person, Akasha, she's a lot better._ Not that Ivy remembered much of what she had seen of Winry from the time Akasha managed to get her to watch some Fullmetal Alchemist or look at the manga panels. She was just a regular pretty anime girl back then. Now she was one of the greatest people Ivy could ever meet. "I hope you and Akasha get along." Ivy decided to voice her thoughts out loud. "I think she'd really like you when she gets to know you."

Winry smiled back, hopefully. "I hope we get along too." She gave Ivy a light wave to the side. "But I can't make a great first impression if I can't make the pancakes."

"I get the memo, Chef Rockbell." Ivy stood up with a yawn, Winry shuffling passed her. "Akasha saved you from a morning jog."

"So you remembered, after all." Winry clicked her tongue.

"Nothing gets past me." Ivy grabbed her towel and mechanic garb. "But I'm in a giving mood so we can skip it considering all the work that's gonna be on our plate."

"Don't remind me." Winry groaned as she remembered the automail-related details. "I have to do a whole lot of shopping today. At least I get to try out some new techniques to make his arm lighter so I guess it's fine if his arm is…. destroyed." Winry shook angrily as she forced the last few words out her mouth. "I'm gonna go make those pancakes now."

"Try not to kill Ed while I'm in the shower, aight?"

"No promises." Winry said in falsetto as she walked to the kitchen.

_Meh, Ed'll be fine if he gets smacked with something._ Ivy shrugged, making her way to the bathroom. She saved him from eternal damnation yesterday so it happening today, when Winry already resigned herself to the fact it was broken, was likely very slim. So Ivy had more complicated matters to worry about. All of them centered around Akasha.

_I'll just talk to her._

_We'll figure it out together._

_And we can find a way back home together._

_If she even wants to go home._ That second part of her said. _Which you know she doesn't._

Ivy sighed as the warm water hit her skin.

_Do **you** even want to go back?_

The shower did nothing to help clear the girl's mind and by the time she came out, ready to dry herself and prepare for the day, her mind felt even more befuddled than before. Of course she wanted to go back home, it was something that was planned from the get go. Then she got stuck here and things got complicated, which prolonged her time in Amestris.

_Now I'm in Rush Valley and doing an apprenticeship because I knew I'd be stuck here a while._ It was temporary, something for the reset established by her realizing she couldn't do much alchemy-wise for the Elrics. Something established by the fact Edward and Alphonse needed to do more training with their old alchemy teacher. Now the two of them were back and armed with only a bit more skill and nothing much else obtained.

_But what about when they come back again and they do have more knowledge and a way to get us home?_

What then?

Ivy's throat clenched.

Akasha would say no in a heartbeat, no qualms about the family and life she would be leaving behind. _But Mom…_

_Winry._

_Al._

_Ed._

_Pinako._

_Mr. Garfiel._

_Paninya._

Ivy was more than glad when she opened the bathroom door and the smell of pancakes and bacon wafted through the air. Food, a distraction that was always welcomed in times of stress. With that in mind, Ivy went back to her room to check on Akasha. They would have to talk about this sooner or later.

Yet when she peered through, Akasha was nowhere to be found, blankets strewn messily.

Well then.

Ivy tossed her towel onto her bed and made her way to the kitchen, hearing the sound of distant chatter.

"Ivy's talked so much about you, so it's finally great meeting you!" Ivy could hear Winry saying happily. "She said you liked pancakes so I made a lot."

"Oh. Thanks." Was Akasha's flat reply.

It was better than nothing, at least. "Nice to see you up and at 'em, nerd." She said as she appeared right behind the shorter brunette who turned around with wide eyes. "Howdy, darlin'." Ivy smiled with a fake drawl.

"Ivy!" Akasha beamed and bounced right into Ivy's chest. "It was really you!"

"Of course it was really me!" Ivy returned the hug tightly, nodding at Winry and Alphonse. Winry gave her a pointed look and Ivy returned a sheepish expression of her own. "I'm sorry for scarin' ya and disappearing'."

"You better be." Akasha mumbled.

"I am, I am." Ivy said, taking a step back. "The Dynamic Duo is back together again."

Akasha looked satisfied at that and Ivy gestured behind her friend. "So you've already met Alphonse." She started and Alphonse nodded with a wave. "He's a sweetheart so I know you're gonna get along just fine. Edward the gremlin is somewhere around here." He was nowhere to be seen.

"He's with Ling, right now." Alphonse answered.

_Oh, great. Get all the info you can out of that Philosopher's Stone hunter._ Ivy nodded instead, hoping her look said enough to the youngest Elric. "Well, you can see Ed again at breakfast. And this gal over here, is Winry Rockbell." Winry smiled widely, blue eyes shining and Ivy could feel Akasha stiffen. "She's really nice." Ivy went on, giving green eyes a subtle look. "And sweet. She does a lot for her customers and even got me into the automail business."

"Ivy's doing what she can for her own customers too." Winry stepped forward with a pleased expression. "I know you haven't seen each other in a while but she hasn't been sitting down doing nothing. You should just see the arm she's working on."

"Now Winry's just tryin' to stroke my ego." Ivy waved the girl's praise off bashfully. "Her work is really great. You should check it out when she's building Ed's arm."

"Sure." Akasha smiled but Ivy could tell it didn't reach her eyes, Winry thankfully didn't seem to notice anything. "I heard a lot about the Fullmetal Alchemist so it's cool getting to meet the person who made his automail."

"You're just being nice." Winry grinned, skipping forward to give Akasha an enthusiastic handshake Akasha limply returned. "It's really nice meeting someone Ivy cares about!"

"Winry, you're gonna make me blush over here." Ivy choked. "Finish makin' the pancakes."

"Oh right!" Winry gaped, looking at a clear bowl that still had some batter in it. "I should be able to make at least two more, so you two can wash up if you need!"

"We can set the table." Ivy reassured, grabbing some fresh dishes. "Akasha, go wash your hands and grab some forks and knives. We can talk some more later." Alone.

There was definitely some talking to be had before Akasha got anywhere closer to Edward and Alphonse.

* * *

"So you and Winry seem like best friends." Akasha said when it was finally just the two of them. She looked disdainfully at the clothes in her arms that Winry was lending her and even shot a squint at Ivy's jumpsuit. "Those are her colors."

Ivy looked down at her mechanic garb. "Last time I checked, light purple and red ain't the same as beige and green. Not to mention, I know you not colorblind." She was thankful that no one else was around to hear this conversation. The blonde in question had left to buy the parts needed for Edward's arm and the brothers were both being pestered by Ling, the two of them in charge of getting something for lunch when the time called for it.

"No I mean, from the 2003 anime." Akasha elaborated dully. "They didn't know what the color of her clothes were, so they went with a red bandanna and a light purple jumpsuit."

Ivy blinked in surprise and her face went warm. "I just picked 'em 'cause I liked the color aesthetic on me." Ivy scratched the back of her neck with a grumble, looking over at Winry's side of the room. "Didn't know anything about the colors from the first anime. She wanted to do matching outfits."

"Mmmh."

Ivy rolled her eyes, "quit it." She looked at the brunette. "I know you have this whole one-sided rivalry with Winry and all but she's really sweet, you know." She had been since Day 1 of meeting each other even after all those times Ivy had prematurely snapped on her. Winry just kept on smiling and did her best to be friendly. "She always thinks about other people and even if she can go off on a guy if they make her mad enough, she's fair about it and doesn't stay angry for long. She's amazing, honestly. Even after everything that's happened to her."

"She didn't go through anything compared to Edward and Alphonse." Ivy heard the barely audible grumble and her fond look turned into a sharp glare.

"She lost both her parents and has to live with that inside her everyday, Akasha." Ivy snapped, not caring about the green eyes that looked up at her in surprise. "That might not be a body part or a soul being bound to a suit of armor, but Winry lost a lot too. She's goin' through it even if it doesn't look like it." For all that Winry had gone through, she still managed to smile that brightly everyday without letting it show. "You might hate Melanie and shit and think she fucked up your family but at least you have your parents. Hell, with Melanie that makes three. And I still got my ma and pops too even with the divorce."

Brown and green held each other's gaze for a long time before Akasha looked away sharply.

"... Look, I'm sorry for gettin' snappy." Ivy sighed. "I don't wanna argue the first day we see each other in months, aight? I just think you should give Winry a fair shot in person. I think you might really like her."

"You sound like you love her."

Ivy's mouth clamped shut and her mind went blank.

She stayed quiet for too long as Akasha's eyes whipped on, eyes full of surprise again and jaw hanging wide. "I was just joking before, are you serious!?"

"I-I dunno whatchu talkin' about!" Ivy coughed, cracking her knuckles as a distraction. "You should go take a shower now, 'cause I ain't lettin' you sleep in my bed again without one!"

"No way!"

"We ain't starting this right now, Akasha!"

"Winry?" Akasha said, voice dripping with astonishment. "I could see Lan Fan or Al, but Winry?"

"Can you not?!" Ivy snapped again, sure that her entire body was red underneath all the brown. "It's not like that between us and I really don't need this right now." Ivy tried thinking of a quick distraction. Akasha would talk about this for hours on end if she didn't stop this conversation dead in its tracks right now. "So what did you tell Ling and his friends about you when you ended up in Xing? We gotta know each other's cover stories."

Akasha thankfully dropped the crush thing. "I told Ling that I was an alchemist's apprentice in Central but was on strict orders from my teacher to learn alkahestry without any use of alchemy." She said smoothly. Of course, she had the perfect cover story. "Then I just… mentioned some stuff about the Philosopher's Stone to make sure we'd end up over here, stuff got pretty insane."

"Figures you didn't just tell them the truth."

"Did you?" Akasha shot back.

"Imma be fair and say, yes and no. Winry got the cover story, Ed and Al got the truth."

Akasha's eyes bulged from their sockets. "You what?"

"Long story short, Ed figured shit out before I could do anything about it. I had no choice." Ivy could still remember the sharp glare when he dumped on her that he knew that she knew about the Gate. "So I told them everything, minus the anime stuff. It just felt… too cruel to tell them that their entire lives were just written out like this. Especially after…" Truth came to mind. "This world is just as true as our own, it's just not where we come from."

"So… they know about me already then."

"Now that they know you're someone I know from home, yeah." Ivy nodded. "I told them you prolly just knew about them because of your traveling through Amestris with Ling and them." If Edward was as famous and well-known as he said he was, it was likely that she was able to meet someone who talked about Edward. "So that can totally excuse how you know about him already. Just don't let shit drop about the anime."

"I never was in the first place." Akasha's tone was frustrated. "I made an entire life for myself already. Nice to know that's ruined."

"Sorry, shoulda been you who ended up here. I woulda been way content back at home." Then she wouldn't be feeling so conflicted about everything.

"So they're helping you go home?"

_You_ go home.

"Yeah." Ivy replied stiffly. "They're probably gonna be expectin' you to want the help too."

Akasha only snickered. "As if." Color Ivy unsurprised by that response. "I'm perfectly happy now that I'm in Amestris, I could use a change from all the automail in the background though."

"That's my business you're insultin'." Ivy said sourly as Akasha stood up, clothes and towel in hand. "It might not be alchemy but we're creatin' stuff too, cool stuff."

"_Sure_ you are." Akasha stuck out her tongue.

Ivy knew it would be pointless convincing Akasha otherwise. At least she wasn't alone anymore, Ivy had that in her belt. "Tell me more about that Ling guy when you get the shower, aight?"

"He's a good guy, you worrywart." Akasha sang as she padded out the room. "Trust me, I wouldn't hang out with the bad guys here."

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

Chapter 18 is finally here this fine Tuesday morning, a chapter I had quite a bit of fun with! (And not just because of the small Film Theory reference I made...)

Akasha's here and things for Ivy is getting complicated what with her internal dilemma about making a life in Amestris or going back home. 'Cause you can bet Akasha ain't down for that going home business and will be quite loud and clear about it, so really it's up to Ivy to make that decision. The plot is on it's way to thickening and Ivy will have quite a few more things flung her way before coming to a final decision. Let's just hope she doesn't pull her hair out along the way as Akasha and Winry are within speaking proximities of each other. Any guesses as to how Akasha and Winry's relationship will play out in the course of this story? I'm interested in reading the theories.

19 will be our final Rush Valley arc chapter and will be released in a week or two, I hope you guys are looking forward to it. Definitely leave some reviews because I really like seeing what your thoughts are and it helps with a bit of motivation/validation too TuT;;. Each one no matter how small is greatly appreciated!

**CallMeAnon:** Glad you didn't think ch16 was as bad as I thought but lowkey was still horrendous in my opinion, but I appreciate the cheering up. As far as the questions you have though... those are spoilers, but all I will say is that the results of what you may be thinking will be certainly be interesting.

**Guest:** T^T thanks so much for the review! Shit will definitely be hitting the fan.


	19. Boo, You Whore

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** Ivy has it rough. She's no anime fan or FMA fan. But when she somehow crosses the gate, she finds herself in the worst possible position: a protagonist of an Another World fic trope. And between the alchemy, automail, lack of plot knowledge, and struggling with her attraction to a pretty blonde mechanic, Ivy reluctantly teams up with the main characters in her journey to get home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

Ivy sat at her work station with a stretch. "Got Sammy's maintenance check done in a breeze!" She announced to the second mechanic in the room. "Now I can get back to work on Elizabetta 2.0." She sighed happily, picking up a screwdriver and more than ready to start where she last left off.

"Thanks again for doing that for me." Winry looked up from her work-in-progress with an appreciative smile.

Ivy didn't even bat an eyelash. "Don't worry about it, I know you've got a rush job so Ed's stuff takes priority over Elizabetta." Ivy replied with a thumbs up. Elizabetta 2.0 wasn't being made for any specific customer like Winry was doing so Ivy could drag herself from her work for a few moments. Equivalent exchange or something like that. "It's always fun giving maintenance checks."

Ivy grunted when she felt a sudden increase of work on her back. So much for working on Elizabetta 2.0 in peace and quiet. "What do you want, nerd?" She said without so much as looking back to see who it was. Even if she hadn't seen the long strands of brown hair dangling in front of her, she knew it had to be Akasha by sheer process of elimination. "I thought you were getting alchemy lessons from the golden boy?" Ivy said

"I was but he said that there was only so much he could show me without his arm and left to get something to eat." Akasha said, the disappointment in her tone almost palpable.

"You coulda always went with him, you know."

"Al said that he wanted to be alone." Came a defeated sigh.

"Oh poor baby." Ivy teased but she figured as much. Akasha could be pretty high maintenance even for her, let alone people that didn't know her that well. Not to mention the fact Akasha was likely running on fangirl energy seeing Edward in the flesh. _I kinda don't blame the guy for lookin' for an exit._ Akasha's high would go down eventually, at least. Ivy didn't know when, but eventually.

"So what are you doing now?" Akasha asked, sounding bored. "Are you going on break soon?"

Ivy carefully screwed in a bolt into what was the end of building the start hydraulics system. It was going just fine thus far, that weird energy from a couple days ago gone. "Right now I'm building the hydraulics system for the arm." She answered smoothly. "After that I'll be working around it to make the bicep and tricep areas and attaching the nerves. Then I have to finish up the rest of the hydraulics in the shoulder area. There's actually a pretty interesting system involving the construction of automail-"

Akasha started snoring obnoxiously and Ivy pinched the back of her hand for the briefest of seconds. "You're the one who asked." Ivy replied without sympathy. "Winry, over there, told me a great way to organize everything without the wires getting tangled every five seconds so things are a lot faster this time. I should be done just in time for when we head to Central."

Ivy ignored the way Akasha's arms tightened around her as Winry happily called out a 'you're welcome' from her worktable. Akasha would warm up to Winry in due time once she realized how stupidly petty she was being about the whole thing.

_"Is Akasha…. your girlfriend?"_ Ivy's cheeks felt warm as she remembered the question Winry asked months ago. The look of, dare Ivy think it, relief she had on her face when Ivy said she had the wrong idea about them. S_he wasn't asking because she likes you or anything, weirdo._ She reminded herself. _She was just curious because you and Akasha are so close._ She set down her pliers in exchange for tugging a red sleeve over the finished twining of wires.

"When are you gonna be finished for the day?" Akasha asked instead, not even noting anything Winry-related. "Are you going on break soon? You should go on break soon and get me something to eat."

Ivy coughed out a laugh, "if you don't get your broke ass to the kitchen and make yourself a sandwich."

"Interesting proposal." Akasha hummed, leaning against Ivy even harder. "But here's my counter offer. You make me the sandwich since you love me so much and caused me great pain these last few months."

"_Nope_, sympathy hour was the other day." Ivy clicked her tongue and kept working without fail. "You're obviously doin' better now, so I believe in your abilities to get out there and brave the wilds of the kitchen, young Linkle."

"Boo, you whore." Akasha groaned out a Mean Girls reference with pinpoint Regina George energy.

_God, I missed you so much._ Ivy was just about to snicker and make a rip about Akasha needing to shut up with her chest hair wig when she heard a loud clatter to her right. Brown eyes glanced over to the quick flash of blonde and beige standing up and saw Winry looking over to the two of them, her mouth agape. Her blue eyes suddenly flashed with anger and Ivy could spot the wrench in her shaking hand.

Ivy felt a flicker of realization. "Win-"

"Take it back." Winry all but growled and Ivy flinched at the tone.

"Excuse me, what?" Akasha sounded unphased, her tone dripping with annoyance. Ivy winced once more as the tensions rose in the room.

"Take back what you called her!" Winry shouted, looking even angrier. The blonde took a step forward, lifting her wrench throwing hand. "Take it back right now, or I'll-"

Ivy stood up immediately, Akasha losing her balance and letting go of her shoulders. "Winry, Winry, Winry, calm down!" Ivy yelped nervously, standing in front of Akasha clusmily. "It was just a joke! It's a really long story, but the 'whore' thing was a joke! I swear!"

Winry's face told Ivy immediately that she didn't believe that for a damn second. "It's a joke that your friend calls you a whore when you don't do something for her?!"

Akasha crossed her arms with a glare, green eyes flashing. "She literally just told you it was a joke." The brunette spat and Ivy wanted to melt into a puddle of misery. She wished she could be anywhere else right now. _Akasha, you are not helping right now!_ "So why don't you lay off? I wouldn't ever seriously call her a whore."

"You shouldn't have said it in the first place!"

Ivy held up her hands in a placating manner, "Winry, look, it's fine." She said, hoping that that would be enough to get Winry to set her wrench down. "We just won't crack those kinds of jokes in front of you. So how 'bout we put the wrench down and-"

"So you're still going to let her say that kind of stuff to you!?" Winry's eyes teared up angrily.

_Okay, that didn't work. Did not work at all._ Ivy was so relieved when she heard the familiar clinking of Alphonse's armor heading their way. "What's wrong? Is everything okay?!"

"Al-"

"Ivy's friend is a jerk, that's what's wrong!" Winry snapped before Ivy could finish her sentence.

Ivy shot Alphonse a helpless look, "Akasha and I were jokin' around and she-"

"Called you something no one should ever be called and refuses to apologize!"

"If she said I didn't have to apologize, I don't _have_ to apologize!" Akasha stepped from behind Ivy. "It isn't my fault that you got offended for no reason." Ivy shot Akasha a look to stand down but Akasha paid her no mind, glaring only at the blonde in the room.

"You called her a whore!"

"Jokingly!"

"She did _what_?!" Alphonse exclaimed in shock, red eyes whipping over to where Ivy and Akasha stood.

Ivy slapped a palm against her forehead and groaned, wishing to disappear. The feeling only increased when her mentor stumbled into the room with a worried look, "is everything okay back here?" The muscular man asked in concern. "I can hear you all the way outside. Winry, why are you crying?"

"I-it's nothing, Mr. Garfiel!" Ivy stammered out quickly. "Akasha just said some stuff about alchemy being better than automail and sparked a whole real passionate debate!" The man raised an eyebrow in disbelief and Ivy wanted to kick herself in the shin. No one would be dumb enough to believe that excuse. Not even Garfiel who was more observant than his flamboyant nature gave him credit for. "Right, guys?"

"Yeah, right." Akasha grumbled as her glare at Winry never faltered.

Winry only trembled silently, willpower keeping the tears from spilling over.

Garfiel's laser sharp gaze landed on Alphonse and Ivy shook her head as subtle as possible.

"Yeah… it was a debate about alchemy and automail."

"... Alright, then." Garfiel said at last, realizing he would be getting no other answer. "If you don't want to tell me what really happened, then I don't want to hear a peep of arguing the moment I go back to my customer." He said with narrowed eyes. "Girls, get back to work instead of antagonizing each other."

"Y-yes, sir." Ivy stammered as Winry just took a seat at her work table without saying anything. Akasha stormed off and Alphonse just stood there awkwardly.

_Fuck my life._ Ivy slumped down into her chair quietly, trying to ignore the sniffles that came from Winry's direction. Apparently things going smoothly for her was too much to ask. Maybe that Truth guy was getting a kick out of this too.

* * *

"So what's this I hear about you being called a whore?" Edward's rough voice came from behind Ivy.

Ivy groaned, tugging at her bandanna. "Look, don't you start too. It's been awkward enough already since everything went down." Akasha avoided the work room like the plague and Winry outright refused to talk to her, angrily working on Edward's arm until she finally left the room. "Who told you?"

"Al, obviously." Edward said with a 'duh' tone to his voice. "He told me everything."

"Of course he did." Ivy sighed.

"Look, Akasha's a great girl." Ivy started tiredly and faced Edward who stared back sternly with golden eyes. "We've been friends since we were, like, five. We joke like that with each other all the time, and basically everyone jokes like that back home if they're close enough. It ain't like it's all on her either. I make jokes like that with her too so don't gang up on her."

Edward looked unimpressed. "What kind of place are you living in if you guys will call even your own friends things like 'whore' as a joke?" It suddenly felt like Edward had become Ms. Norbury after Regina had revealed all the secrets of the Burn Book to North Shore High. Only with less comedic output.

Ivy sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Look, I already told Winry we wouldn't make jokes like that in front of her and she still went ballistic."

"I mean, I would too." Edward said sharply. "You basically told her that you would just let people call you derogatory names still, just not in front of her. What would you do if I called you a whore?"

"Well how are you sayin' it in this hypothetical, Ed boy?" Ivy glared at the boy in front of her.

Edward ran his human hand through his bangs in frustration, "it isn't supposed to matter how I'm _saying_ it!" Edward growled and Ivy stopped herself from rolling her eyes. It wouldn't get through to anyone here no matter what she said. "Fine, if it isn't gonna bother you if she says it, then what about Winry? Imagine how she feels."

"I already know how she feels about it." Ivy huffed. "She almost threw a wrench at Akasha's face at point-blank range." It was bad enough that Akasha hated Winry already just because of things out of the blonde girl's control but now things would definitely be on extremely thin ice between them. "I just want us to forget about it and pretend it never happened and just get along."

Edward released his own sigh, Ivy directed her gaze back at Elizabetta 2.0. "Look, I'm not gonna just stay here and police you on how to talk to your friend." He began and Ivy scoffed. He basically already did in his oh-so-failed example from just a few seconds ago. "But I think you at least owe it to Winry not to do it anymore. She probably didn't appreciate hearing who she knows is supposed to be your 'best friend in the whole universe' call you a whore, even if it was a joke. And it probably made her even more upset that you _didn't_ get upset."

Ivy bit her lip but said nothing.

"And plus, the three of you are gonna share a room even when we get to Central, it's just gonna be awkward until you say something. So I say, get it out the way now before it gets worse." Edward said with a hint of finality before walking out of the room and Ivy just slumped her head on her work table. "Winry's in the kitchen if you wanna talk."

_Why can't y'all just have the same sense of humor we do._ She thought to herself as she forced herself onto her feet. Edward still had a point, though. It would only just get worse if she didn't say anything and let Winry silently keep it all in until wrenches started flying for real. So, the girl took off her bandanna and headed to the kitchen. If Winry was there, Ivy was sure Akasha was in the room they'd be sharing in an effort to keep the peace.

_It'll be fine, it'll be fine. Everything will be fine._ Ivy told herself as she walked slowly as possible to the kitchen area, peering in slowly to see Winry pouring herself a cup. "... Wanna pour another cup for your fave engineer?" Ivy asked, hoping she sounded more humorous than she felt. "'Cause, boy am I feeling parched."

Ivy was less than surprised when bloodshot eyes shot her a sparing glance coldly before looking away. No extra cup of tea was poured.

"Look," Ivy sighed. "can we just talk this out?"

"There's nothing to talk about." Winry replied curtly. "It was just a simple debate about alchemy versus automail, remember?"

"Winry, please."

"I just don't see why you're taking her side about it." Winry mumbled after a loud minute of silence passed. "Friend or not, she shouldn't be allowed to talk to you like that."

Ivy took a slight step forward, warily eyeing Winry's pockets for any sign of a wrench. "I've made those sorts of jokes with Akasha before too, you know. You've just never caught me making them. It's just how we joke."

"Why then?"

"... I don't know." Ivy answered truthfully. It was just the culture of memes and the quotability of nostalgia that Winry wouldn't be able to understand even if Ivy tried explaining in full detail. Which would take even longer considering Ivy would have to start from the beginning with the fact she isn't from this world versus her original story. "It just slips out. We know we don't really mean nothin' by it. And it's funny."

"Well I didn't think it was funny hearing what she said about you." Winry snapped quietly without turning around. "And she didn't even… she didn't even say sorry and acted like it was my fault that I got mad. I wish she _had_ said that she thought automail was lame. That would have been an actual fun thing to argue about. Both of you shouldn't think it's funny to talk like that about your friends. Do you ever think that about me when I don't do certain things?"

"Of course not!" Ivy gasped, offended. "I'd never-"

"See?! That's my point!" Winry exclaimed, blue eyes flaring. "It isn't funny at all!"

Ivy faltered when she saw the girl's face. Say what you will about whenever she fought with Akasha, but Akasha was never an angry crier. And Ivy never had a crush on Akasha either. That fact made things a lot easier when they got into it. "... Look, I'm really sorry." She said, feeling defeated. "I'll talk to Akasha about it and it won't happen again, alright? I don't like it when I make you upset."

Winry wiped at her eyes, "I don't like fighting with you either." She said softly.

"Wanna call a truce?" Ivy held open her arms widely, putting the offer on the table.

"Truce." Winry smiled weakly before walking over to give Ivy a tight hug. "I'm sorry too. I don't want to make it awkward between anyone."

"Hey, Akasha and I didn't really make it easier with our senses of humor so we can all take the blame." Ivy said into Winry's hair, rocking them side to side. _Not that Akasha will wanna take the blame right now, but we'll work it out._ "Akasha's real nice when you get to know her. Minus the thing about her thinking automail isn't better than alchemy. Pretty sad that we won't be able to convert her to the cool side with the mechanics."

Winry hummed into Ivy's shoulder. "Ed and Al can keep her. We can just open a shop our own shop. Carterbell Automail, the finest automail this side of Rush Valley."

Ivy barely stopped herself from choking. "_Carterbell_?"

Winry pulled away slightly, looking sheepish and the rocking stopped. "I didn't know what else to come up with for the name. 'Rockbell and Carter Automail' was too long and 'Ivy and Winry's Automail' sounded too cutesy and kiddy." The blonde explained, sounding defensive. "So I thought combining our names for a shop would be a lot cuter but also practical."

"How long has that thought been flying around in that noggin of yours?" Ivy raised an eyebrow, face warm. This seemed too similar to her imaginings surrounding her and Winry having a more domestic life together. "Do I get a say in this? Maybe I want my own shop."

"Of course, we don't have too." Winry added quickly. "You can have your own shop. I just thought it would be nice to have a shop together since we're always working together here anyway." From here, it really would be a smooth transition into owning a shop together once they saved up enough money for it. Which was relatively easy with the market price of automail and the percentage they could keep from sales with Garfiel. They could both hone their skills and once enough sens were acquired, they could go just about anywhere.

It sounded so...

"You make it sound so easy." Ivy chuckled humorlessly. Like she could honestly drop everything about moving home and stay in Amestris forever and do just that. They could open this theoretical shop anywhere in the valley and any customers gained here could flock to their new location. There'd be ample business year round and they could see Paninya whenever, she'd visit any time whether it be to hang out or do some handywork. During the Amestrian holidays they could close and go visit Pinako in the east and give her updates about life in the automail hub of the country. Then they could fret over Edward and Alphonse who might have their bodies back by then, rarely visiting due to the older Elric no longer needing maintenance checks.

Just one choice and that could be Ivy's future.

Winry's smile was soft, an eyebrow of her own raised. "Why shouldn't it be?" She asked like it was so simple. Which it was to her. Winry knew nothing about Ivy's otherworldly origins and that made everything a simple decision for her. "You're picking up engineering fast so I know that your second arm is going to sell here when you finish building it. Then in a few years, we could have our own shop. Ed might still need maintenance by then so we'll definitely have to make a better appointment system so he doesn't cause any chaos when he does come see us." Winry chuckled lightly, eyes warm. "Well, even if we did do that, Ed would still find a way to make everything hectic. So maybe dealing with him will be less simple than everything else. Opening a shop together will come with the occasional visit from the boys." Chaos following was implied.

Ivy's throat constricted and she wasn't sure what else to say. She didn't know what she wanted to say.

"I just know if I open a shop, I want you there too." Winry's voice softened, hands tightening their grip around Ivy's arms. "And if you want me there too, that's all the reason we need to open one together."

"Why?" Ivy asked dumbly. Her blood roared in her ears as she looked at the shorter mechanic and her chest ached. _You should be saying 'no'!_ Her mind screamed at her but she still wanted to hear Winry's answer. She needed to hear her answer. "Why together?"

"What's wrong with me wanting to open a shop with someone I really-" Winry cut herself off and Ivy swore that her cheeks looked pink. "Someone I really-"

"Am I interrupting here?" A voice drawled from behind them and Ivy froze when she turned around to see Akasha leaning against the frame of the kitchen entrance, green eyes staring hard.

Ivy leaped away flustered, "h-hey, Akasha! I was just 'bout to go lookin' for ya!" She cleared her throat, refusing to look in Winry's direction.

Green eyes looked between Ivy and the other mechanic in the room. "Really?"

"Yep." Ivy laughed nervously. "I was thinking we should all apologize to each other and just move on from this. We're gonna be sharin' a room here and probably when we get to the hotel in Central." Brown hands moved in a flustered motion as Ivy explained, hoping to get the nervous energy flying out of her system. That was close. That was too, too close! "So we should all definitely be on really good terms, you know?"

"You mean she isn't gonna throw a wrench at me?" Akasha glowered.

Beside her, Winry tensed but after a moment, she bowed politely. "I'm really sorry about earlier." Winry's apology sounded reluctant, but it was something. "We should start over again, I know you're someone who means a lot to Ivy."

"I forgive you then." Akasha said cheerily and Winry stood up properly, looking relieved. "Ivy and I have been friends for a long time so we kinda have a natural understanding with each other that's basically telepathic." Akasha smiled widely. "So I get if it takes you a while to catch up with all our inside jokes and stuff, so my bad too. I should have been more clear and open earlier."

Winry stared blankly at the brunette in front of her. "I… okay."

"Glad we all made up then!" Akasha beamed.

"Yeah, it's great." Ivy coughed still reeling. "Anyway, I'm gonna go shower. Akasha, don't touch my work stuff."

"I wasn't gonna touch it in the first place!" Akasha called after her as Ivy paced to her room.

If Akasha hadn't interrupted, Ivy was sure she would have done something stupid. Something really stupid that she wouldn't have been able to take back if she let Winry finish talking.

She already knew what the answer would be, Ivy was pretty sure she always knew from the soft smiles to the subtle brushes.

_Which is why I can't hear it._

If she did, Ivy was sure any resolve she had left in going back home would be crushed completely. It wasn't as simple as just moving changing realms at the drop of a hat and opening a shop together, not even when the idea itself was so tempting.

_You don't belong here and Akasha doesn't either._ Ivy reminded herself harshly._ If you're going to stay here and work, then stay and work._

What Winry was going to say was off limits.

This was _all_ off limits.

That was all fact reminded herself again in her shower until she was almost dizzy from the steam, pulling her jumpsuit on once again.

"What was the point of a shower when you're just gonna get back in the jumpsuit?" Akasha asked when Ivy came back into her shared room.

"Fresh underwear, my friend, fresh underwear." Ivy waved the girl off, happy the tense atmosphere between them was gone. "Why are you here instead of pestering your wannabe boyfriend?"

Akasha huffed, falling back into Ivy's pillow. "He just told me not to talk like that with you or Winry again before walking off." The brunette grumbled darkly. "He hates me."

Ivy felt a stab of empathy. Regardless of the onesided feelings involved, if you got the chance to meet your fictional idol and you managed to piss them off, that has to smart. "It's gonna be fine, dude, we all made up." Ivy said, giving Akasha's knee a firm pat. "And Ed's not the type to hold this kinda thing over your head since it's so small, like his height."

"Are you the resident Ed expert?"

"Not at all." Ivy clicked her tongue, remembering the complex alchemy terms he tried teaching her when they first headed to Central. "I can't dissect that brain for anything. Blah blah reconstruction, blah blah hand clap."

The look Akasha gave her was enough for Ivy to know the smug 'you should have watched the show' implications. "He _is_ a genius."

"I'm gonna ignore the shade I heard in your statement and ask if you wanna just talk with the guys and not mope around." Ivy deadpanned.

Akasha's response was to give a noncommittal grunt.

Ivy stood up with a sigh, grabbing one of Akasha's hands. "Come on, let's get up."

"Someone's been working out." Akasha grumbled, standing reluctantly. "Are you going for a Gerudo, Champion Urbosa?"

Ivy got a flash of the beautiful red-haired, brown skinned woman from Breath of the Wild. Her tall and strong physique, bearing the six pack that every Gerudo woman seemed to have. _Damn._ "You know, I was actually going for an Armstrong so I feel kinda embarrassed that Urbosa wasn't on the table." It made more sense, in a way. Ivy quite literally lived in an Amestrian desert.

Akasha choked instantly. "Oh god!"

"Can it, I changed my mind! I'm goin' for a Gerudo!"

Akasha's cackles didn't stop for a long time, still chuckling lightly as she followed Ivy's pacing out the room. "That was great, I really needed that." The green-eyed girl sighed dramatically. "Are those muscles passed down the Armstrong family for generations too?"

"You already told Akasha about the Major?" Edward's voice cut in from the kitchen. Due to the size of the shop, the kitchen room honestly served as a kitchen and living room combo.

"Yeah and she's laughing at me trying to imagine what he looks like." Ivy rolled her eyes. "Did Mr. Garfiel say what we're having for dinner because we can just reheat the leftovers."

"I think that's the plan." Alphonse replied, red eyes bright. He looked at Ivy then Akasha.

Ivy gave him a small smile. "Gotcha. Sounds like a 'every man for himself' night. Sorry 'bout that, it's all the orders." The moment it was hectic with rush orders, proper meals went out the window. There were always plenty of leftovers for these sorts of occasions, though. "I'm probably gonna make myself a sandwich later, but you can hear some more Harry Potter now while Akasha makes herself something."

Akasha shot Ivy a wide look that she ignored, "I got to the part where Hagrid and Harry were just getting to Gringotts."

_"What are you doing?"_ Akasha hissed quietly.

"I still have to work on my arm." Ivy set her hands on her hips. "I don't wanna leave uncompleted work, so I'm trying to finish up Elizabetta 2.0 now." That would require some sleepless nights and actually working on her. "So you can just pick up where I left off last, it kinda fell to the wayside with all the stuff going on here." Ivy gave Akasha a small push into the kitchen. "Have fun, kids." Ivy finished, almost skipping away as Akasha awkwardly fumbled for more detail about where they last left off in this retelling of Harry Potter.

She did her best to ignore the dread in her chest as she got closer to the work room. Then Ivy felt relieved when she spotted Garfiel hunched over his own desk, the perfect buffer.

"Which order are you on now, Teach?" Ivy asked, pointedly not looking in Winry's direction as she peered over her mentor's shoulder. He was in the middle of making a fine foot, gently crafting the metatarsals.

"No. 2B." He answered. "I'm getting the small orders out of the way now and moving onto the big ones." He lifted a perfectly plucked eyebrow at her. "You'll have to make sure you finish your work before you go." Garfiel lifted a gloved hand, raising a finger per task listed off. "Phil will be coming to have his elbow checked because it's been feeling loose. Charlie, the poor girl has been neglecting her maintenance. A bit of restocking will be necessary before you go too."

"Don't worry, Mr. Garfiel, we'll get it done." Winry reassured and Ivy felt a lump in her throat.

"Yeah." Ivy strangled out as normally as she could. "Everything will be fine."

Garfiel smiled with a nod. "I'm expecting it from my darling apprentices." With that, he turned back to his project. "We'll be doing some all nighters to catch up, but we should be fine."

Ivy took that as her cue to sit at her own work area, looking behind her to see Elizabetta 2.0 glinting with loneliness. _Time to work._ Grabbing her gloves, Ivy sat down and gave her work in progress a once over. Compared to Elizabetta 1.0, this arm really was a lot more slim. The hand certainly looked better, the fingers more even and symmetrical. It took Ivy forever to find a good design for the plating for the crafted lines that were making sure the arm never overheated. It also helped with drying.

A smile crept onto Ivy's lips.

Maybe she wasn't just getting empty praise before.

"I know that smile." Winry's warm voice piped up and Ivy looked over, almost on instinct to her companion. "That's the happy engineer's smile."

"I'm just happy that she's turning out fine." Ivy replied. There was a tinge of anxiety in her chest, but she could ignore it. "I'll probably have to look over it again with a fine tooth comb when we come back before I let anyone test it out and let me know how it feels, and then maybe she'll sell." At least, she will if the temporary outfittee gives back positive feedback in terms of weight. There was also Garfiel's thumb of approval to gain.

Ivy didn't want to plague herself with the 'what ifs'. Things would be fine and then she could move on to learning how to make legs.

"Of course she will! We have a great teacher."

"That's right!" Garfiel chirped, raising a screwdriver triumphantly.

"Damn straight." Ivy grinned. She heard a sudden rumble of laughter and groans from the kitchen. "Looks like Akasha and the boys are having fun." _I wonder if they got to the part where they met Ron. Or Draco._ Ivy snickered to herself. She couldn't wait for Edward and Alphonse to get to the polyjuice potion bit. 'I didn't know you could read' was the best bit of improv Ivy had ever witnessed.

"What are you laughing about?"

"Books." Ivy answered with a pleased sigh. "Akasha and I are telling Ed and Al about this book series we really like. When we're on the train we'll have to give you the rundown."_ Winry would be… Ravenclaw._ Definitely Ravenclaw. "It's this series about magic and witches and stuff and this kid named Harry Potter. Akasha and I are into some fun things." Ivy chuckled fondly.

Winry hummed noncommittally and silence fell among the three engineers once more.

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

Ooooh chapter 19, this was a fun ride.

Akasha is in the house and she and Winry are not off to the best of starts. What can one expect from a girl who has spent her entire FMA fangirl career disliking the character. Ivy's just in a whirl of emotions with everything going on and her attempt to not ruin any pre-established character relationships. And Akasha well, she's definitely not doing anything wrong.

This chapter has been well-anticipated as a chapter I never got to in even the og incarnation of AFD 'cause even then I planned on Ivy and Winry having a friendlier relationship (even though Ivy would be doing alchemy) and Akasha not liking our fav blonde mechanic due to Ed fangirl thing. I never knew how I was going to handle that then but I definitely wanted heads to butt.

Definitely let me know in reviews if you think that some feathers were definitely ruffled. I felt like this chapter was deserved since I feel like the humor we all have nowadays with friends irl and online is definitely a lot more vulgar and 'insulting' than say, the early 1900s and I was pretty sure if a FMA character experienced it themselves, they'd take it much more seriously. I'm also curious as to what you think about Akasha and her approach to living in the land of equivalent exchange compared to what Ivy's been doing, I wanted to take a dramatically different approach to both their stories. When I'm done with AFD, I'll start focusing on Akasha's story so you can see her POV.

I'm really excited for it.

Also really excited to see whatever reviews you guys leave for this chap, I really wanna know them thoughts and first reactions!

**Anonimus anonima:** And I'm happy this fic makes you happy! Thank you for the comment!


	20. Rejection Hurts

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** Ivy has it rough. She's no anime fan or FMA fan. But when she somehow crosses the gate, she finds herself in the worst possible position: a protagonist of an Another World fic trope. And between the alchemy, automail, lack of plot knowledge, and struggling with her attraction to a pretty blonde mechanic, Ivy reluctantly teams up with the main characters in her journey to get home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

_"Behold the splendor!"_

Ivy could have cried when she picked up the 8 pounds worth of steel-aluminium that was her second attempt at crafting an arm. Elizabetta 2.0 was finally complete. She was a lovely silver color, she was light, she clinked and clacked smoothly at the wrist and elbow joints. She was honestly perfect. No, there was no hint of bias in Ivy's professional opinion. "Seriously guys, look at it! Look at it! I want you all to look at it!"

"Okay, okay!" Winry laughed lightly as she stepped closer. "It looks really good!" The blonde engineer praised, taking the wrist in her hands to give it a rotation test. "You've definitely improved the fluidity of the wrist joint compared to the first attempt."

"Pretty sure you helped out with it being more flexible." Ivy admitted, though her chest was still warm with satisfaction. "I tried that trick you suggested about not putting a cylinder in the wrist and instead used a small series of nuts, washers, and bolts to achieve maximum mobility yet still copy a cylinder's functions. Honestly, that's brilliant."

Winry beamed, herself. "I think we both have to thank Granny for that one."

"Should I do the same for ankle joints in legs?"

"Now for legs I still use an actual cylinder." The blonde replied, tone light and cheerful at the exchange of information. "But depending on the size of the model and who it's meant for, use a slightly smaller one in order to not just have good up and down range but side-to-side range to if the outfittee wants to move their feet in a more diagonal motion. You don't want it to be too loose but you don't want it to be too stiff."

"I'll keep that in mind for when I finally move onto making legs then."

"Ivy, please don't tell me that you're shrieking like a banshee over an automail arm." Akasha teased as she entered the room.

Ivy squinted at her friend, "appreciate my craftsmanship, knave."

Akasha rolled her eyes but she stepped forward, leaning against Ivy's frame to take a look. "It does look good though. Nothing compared to alchemy but…" Her green eyes flickered with amusement.

"I'd love to see you try to make a perfect arm of automail with your alchemy, brat." Ivy dared. "I'll lend my books so you can study the different parts first, hell I will even give you a further handicap and tell you which metal to use."

"No thanks, gearhead 1."

"That's what I thought."

"Hmm." Winry traced a pale finger lightly over Elizabetta 2.0's forearm plate. "Even if with the proper knowledge about automail and what goes where, automail made from alchemy would lack the love that goes into it." Winry smiled, her blue eyes looking into Akasha's green. "Not that there isn't any love that goes into alchemy, I don't know much about it."

"There's definitely love there, I think." Akasha replied. "You have to keep in mind everything that you want to change in order for it to be exactly in the image you want."

Ivy released a quiet breath.

It had been a few days since what she was now calling the Whore Incident and Akasha and Winry at least looked to be on better terms.

"Well maybe on the train ride to Central we can have a nice long chat about our respective crafts." Ivy proposed, setting her arm down on her work table. "Or whenever Mr. Garfiel comes back with lunch. I am starving, tired, and I wanna walk all at the same time." She'd stayed up two nights in a row to finish this arm. "Here's hoping I didn't miss a bolt in this thing." She smirked as she gave Winry a pointed look.

Winry coughed loudly, "anyway, it's nice that we finished our arms around the same time!" Edward's arm had been finished a few hours before, a little after breakfast. This time, all bolts were accounted for. "It'll really be nice seeing Mr. Hughes and his family again."

Ivy held back a strong yawn, "Yeah it will." She looked at the brunette in the room. "You're gonna love the guy. Imagine Sokka but he's a dad"

"He sounds like a fun guy." Akasha's grin looked forced and Ivy raised an eyebrow.

"Sokka?" Winry asked.

Ivy waved nonchalantly, "inside reference." She nudged Akasha lightly. 'You good?' Her eyes communicated at the brunette.

Akasha nudged back, "I'm okay, just tired."

Ivy pursed her lips, unconvinced. "Why don't we both take a walk then." Ivy linked hers and Akasha's arms together firmly. The shorter girl wouldn't be going anywhere. "I've been missing the sun and _you_ haven't gotten a proper look at Rush Valley yet. So let's get in some of the sights before we take off on the train. Knowing Ed, he's out there buying tickets for tomorrow or something. That runt is always on the move."

Winry blinked in surprise, "what about lunch? Mr. Garfiel is probably gonna be here soon."

"Ah don't worry about it, we'll be back by then." Ivy winked. They probably wouldn't but she doubted that her engineering teacher would mind much. "If he asks, it's a small walk and I'll be back soon. Oh and tell him Elizabetta 2.0 is done if he gets back before we do."

With that, Ivy and Akasha left and Ivy welcomed the feel of the direct sunlight on her skin. "I could really use a pick me up in Gerudo town." Rush Valley sort of had that vibe to it, though it certainly wasn't an all-night sort of town. There was also a shortage of tall, brown-skinned redheaded women with six packs and high heels. But the people here were lively, engineers and automail outfittees alike. "Imagine if we ended up in Breath of the Wild instead."

Now that would be the open world adventure of Ivy's dreams.

"You would die in five seconds getting chased by a Moblin."

"Excuse you, I can run fast and I've got the muscle to beat them with sticks." Ivy snorted. "And if it did come to getting chased by a Moblin, I just have to focus on outrunning you. Then I could focus on seducing my man Prince Sidon."

"You always talk trash about my crush on Ed but at least I don't wanna fuck a fish."

"You know what, piss off."

Akasha's laugh was natural and Ivy felt a surge of relief. "So you good? You seemed pretty off when we talked about Hughes." She thought of the kind man and his hazel eyes. He could be intimidating when he wanted but he was still ultimately really sweet despite it. "Is something gonna happen?"

Akasha's feet slowly came to a halt and Ivy paused, looking at her friend with concern. "Akasha?"

"I really don't want to talk about it right now." Akasha shrugged, looking pointedly somewhere else. "But everything ends up working out, that's all I'll say."

There was a hint of finality in her voice.

"Hughes is alright though?"

"It all works out." Akasha repeated. "Anyway, I don't think I really need a tour of this place now, I already had to walk through it when I got here with Ling and his group."

_Alright then, we can play this game._ "I sincerely doubt you were looking at the beauty of this place though." Ivy gestured broadly at the bustling of people going in and out of shops, walking around and admiring any displayed piece of automail. "Honestly, this place is awesome. There's this one place God's Studio and that's basically the shop to beat in this place."

"I know that much about Rush Valley." Akasha allowed herself to be dragged forward without protest. "There's that place and Dominic's place. Now that guy would be fun to meet."

"I'm not taking you into the mountains." Ivy deadpanned immediately before Akasha got any ideas. "I've been there a few times though and the guy's work is amazing. It just takes forever to get there since they're still fixing this bridge that you use to get there, so we have to go over in the most roundabout way. There's still some other cool shops to check out though.

"Ashiya is this place that specializes in legs and feet, the engineers there get along pretty well with Mr. Garfiel so they stop by a lot for tea. There's Hagane and they make combat automail. The engineers there are war vets too so they're pretty passionate about it. They are the most passionate ladies I know too. Winry and I go to those places sometimes to see what we can learn from looking at their work Plus it never hurts to check out the competition too. And yes, there is some stuff here that's cool that doesn't have to do with automail."

"Somehow I don't think we're gonna be looking at any of those things."

"Oh come on, the amount of times I had to listen to you talk about alchemy, I deserve the payback." Ivy smirked. "Besides, we're heading to alchemy heaven, Central, pretty soon. There are some automail shops there too that I definitely wanna talk to so I can see how trends there differ from Rush Valley. If there even are any."

"So after the stuff in Central are you coming back here to keep training?" Akasha asked, kicking a nearby stone. It wasn't the smoothest segue into another conversation, but Ivy took the bait with a nod.

"I don't know jack about alchemy and Edward and Alphonse get into some serious shit sometimes." Ivy recalled the incident at the fifth laboratory that resulted in Edward getting sent to the hospital. Then they come back from their teacher's place all banged up again._ I didn't even really help during the lab stuff or note decoding either._ "So we had a talk about it and they convinced me that I should focus more on automail while they worked on getting their bodies back and sending me back home.

So yeah, I'll be coming back here more than likely. I wasn't any help then, I sure as hell won't be any help now if I decided to switch teams again. Besides, I like it in Rush Valley. It's peaceful and even if this isn't Hyrule, I ended up learning how to do something amazing. I'm pretty sure that Mr. Garfiel won't mind you staying here either even if you didn't become an apprentice. You'd have to help out sometime though with chores."

"Thanks but no thanks." Akasha clicked her tongue. "I'm gonna travel with Ed and Al after this all blows over."

Why wasn't Ivy surprised?

"Akasha, seeing the shit on TV is different than actually being part of the action." Ivy's brow furrowed with worry.

"I know that already."

"Do you?" Ivy asked incredulously. "We don't belong here. Even if we like it here or even if we sometimes feel like we really wanna stay, we don't actually belong in this place. I know you like Edward and all but he has a life that he's supposed to live out, a person he's supposed to fall in love with, and that isn't you."

At that, Akasha tore her arm away from Ivy's. "As far as I'm concerned I do belong here. You know I've never felt like I belonged back home. But this place? I actually feel at home and like this was what I was supposed to do all along. I know alkahestry and I'm actually good at it, I know this place better than the back of my hand, I'm actually useful to them if I travel with them and I know what I'd be getting into. Maybe _you_ don't belong here but don't put us on the same boat.

You go back to where you call your home but I'm already in mine and you can't change my mind about that."

It was quiet and yet the loudest argument the two of them ever had.

Ivy bit the inside of her mouth as their stares held.

"Sorry, Ivy, but I'm not going back to that place." Akasha said softly. "I'm where I've always wanted to be and where I can live a life I want. I always really did think it was just a fangirl's dream because no matter how much I wanted it, there was no way I could think of to be here and here I am. You don't get it because you've never felt drawn here but I can feel it my bones. Ed's my soulmate and this place is where I'm supposed to be.

I missed out on some time though. When I got here, I ended up in Xing and it took a while and a lot of major stuff has happened. But I still have the rest of my life here to get to know Ed and for us to get to know each other." Akasha smiled to herself, cheeks pink. "I've waited most of my entire life for this."

Ivy's spine ran cold when Akasha looked back at her.

"You're not ruining this for me."

* * *

"Are you okay?"

Ivy jolted from her backpack and felt relieved when she looked over her shoulder and saw long blonde hair and wide blue eyes. "God you nearly made me crap my pants." Ivy placed a hand on her chest, heartbeat erratic. "I'm just packing up now before hitting the sack early. I'm fine though, Winry."

Sure enough, they would be leaving tomorrow with Ling in tow. Edward didn't pull any stops when it came to the progress in his journey. Elizabetta 2.0 was packed away in the storage room, Ivy's tools were neatly in her tool box. Then in a week she and Winry would be heading right back to Rush Valley to continue their training.

Winry didn't look convinced, closing the door behind her as she sat down on Ivy's bed Akasha had all but stolen the past few days. "Well you didn't look fine earlier when you came back. Did something happen with you and Akasha?"

"The loser thinks that alchemy beats automail by a landslide." Ivy hoped her lie sounded truthful. That was something Akasha would say. It was no secret she wasn't a big engineering fan. "She didn't even appreciate the tour." Ivy sighed. "Well, she did think Hagane was pretty cool."

There was a warm hand that was placed on one her own and Ivy looked down to see a white hand clasped around hers. She looked up at Winry and saw her face looking concerned. "It looked more serious than that." The blonde pressed cautiously. "You can tell me anything, you know? I know I haven't known you as long as Akasha has and don't know her that well but I want to be there too when you're sad and upset."

Ivy's heart stuttered. "I'm fine though, I promise."

"Remember what you told me at Mr. Hughes house." Winry's lips were in a firm line. "You're not hiding anything from me anymore, right?"

"I'm not." _I am._ "Seriously, Winry." Ivy smiled and took a seat next to the girl, knees sore from squatting on them. "I'm okay. I'm just tired from all the all-nighters, it always gets hectic when Edward and Alphonse come around needing something. By the time I came back from my walk, the sleep finally really caught up to me."

Winry stared a little longer, eyes narrowing for a moment before her face relaxed. "Alright." She said at last. "I trust you."

Ivy smiled, relieved the blonde was dropping it. "Good, I value myself for my honesty."

"Well you haven't had the cleanest record when it comes to hiding stuff from me because you think I'll worry. You can't blame me for wondering if you were hiding something again."

"Sorry." Ivy chuckled humorlessly. "This time everything's okay though. I wanna see the Hughes family again and then come right back here to do some final tests on Elizabetta and boom, leg time." Akasha was gone on a train that Ivy couldn't stop. Still, Ivy had automail and Ivy had her friendship with Winry. She didn't need anything else to keep her occupied while in Amestris. "I'll be catching up to you pretty soon. Pretty soon ole Ivette Carter is gonna have herself clientele that isn't just composed of maintenance."

"Can I call you that?"

"What?"

"Can I call you 'Ivette' from now on?"

Ivy wrinkled her nose at the sound. "You wanna call me that ancient sounding name?"

"I think it's cute though." Winry protested.

"Barely anyone ever calls me that." Minus Mr. Maverick and Armstrong, not even Ivy's own mother called her Ivette often. Not unless she was in trouble, seriously major trouble. "It isn't like there's anything cool about calling me Ivette either." Winry's face only looked disgruntled at the protest. "Why do you wanna call me Ivette, anyway?"

There was no merit to gain at all.

Winry didn't say anything immediately, suddenly finding her feet much more interesting.

"... Winry?" Ivy gave the girl a nudge.

"I-I've been…" The blonde trailed off for a moment, her grip on Ivy's hand suddenly tightening. "I guess I've been a little jealous."

Ivy felt like the blinking guy meme when the words left Winry's mouth. "Jealous?" She repeated slowly.

"I know it's stupid." Winry muttered, eyes still pointedly avoid looking in Ivy's direction. "But when Akasha said the other day that I wouldn't get anything that you two already have between you, it bothered me and I felt left out. So I thought maybe if I were the only one calling you Ivette, it would be something that only the two of us had. And that maybe certain things you shared with her only might be shared with me too." Winry hunched over with a sigh. "It sounds even more stupid when I say it out loud. And embarrassing.

I want to like Akasha but after what happened that day with what she called you, even if it was a joke, it's hard trying to forge a relationship with her. I don't think she really likes me either. And I know you don't mean to shut me out because you two haven't spent any time together in a long time but… I guess it's been on my mind. I don't have to call you Ivette if you don't want that. I don't want to make you uncomfortable if you don't really like it."

Ivy's mouth felt dry and she looked some place else, herself.

Winry was crossing over lines that shouldn't have been crossed.

"You… you can call me Ivette if you want." Ivy said at last, mouth feeling like it was mostly moving on it's own. She still had yet to completely process what she had been told. "Call me whatever you want. It's fine if it's you."

Though she still looked abashed, Winry smiled. "Okay."

Ivy felt like she couldn't breathe.

"S-so…" Ivy coughed, mind scrambling for another topic to move onto. "Ed, right?"

Winry raised an eyebrow. "What about Ed?"

Ivy cleared her throat. "Here's hoping the guy doesn't completely bust his arm up again while we're in Central. Imagine if he broke it right before we head back and we end up stuck there even longer."

"Please don't jinx it." Winry groaned, head drooping considerably. "He's such a kid sometimes, there's no point in me ever telling him to be more mindful of his maintenance because he just wrecks it."

"At least this time it took a few months instead of two weeks for it to be wrecked." Ivy offered her comfort with a chuckle. "So maybe we'll luck out this time and he'll actually be responsible seeing he keeps using me as his human shield to hide from your wrenches."

Winry glared at her but it was light. "You make it sound more like we're parents and I'm the mean one."

"I'm just his favorite sister and the awesome supporting cast to what is a beautiful childhood friends to lovers relationship sprinkled in with old married couple arguing." Ivy grinned, untangling hers and Winry's hands from one another. "You should be careful though, someone might snatch him up if you keep being in denial about the whole thing. Maybe engrave a heart next time in his automail that says 'E+W' forever. Be bold. Daring!" Ivy stood up, pumping a fist. "You've got my support all the way."

Edward had a love interest already and it wasn't Akasha.

Winry had a love interest already and it wasn't Ivy.

Things had to be balanced, even if Akasha was completely throwing that out of the window.

Even if Ivy couldn't make her leave.

Ivy could at least hold up her half of the equation.

"Of course, if that doesn't work out, you and Al would also be a cute couple, I think." Ivy squatted down back at her backpack and dresser, ready to fold more clothes into it. "Just letting you know right now though, if you're planning to date Alphonse, we need to have a long talk about the torture I will put you through if you ever break his heart. The boy is delicate like a flower and cuddly like a cat and-"

"Ivette, you…"

"Yeah?"

"You're such an idiot."

Ivy choked at that, nearly falling over as she stood up. "Hey, watch where you throw the 'idiot' card!"

"No, you _are_ an idiot!" Winry barked right back, standing up herself. "How much more obvious do I have to be about my feelings and then you keep throwing Ed and Al back in my face!" The blonde's shoulders trembled. "Are you really not seeing anything or are you trying to tell me in a roundabout way that you don't feel the same way? I don't get you! I thought that you maybe…" Winry grabbed her bangs in frustration.

_Don't say it._

"I really don't get you. I don't like Ed or Al, you idiot. Not like that. I like-"

"Please don't say it." Ivy's eyes felt hot as the words tumbled out of her mouth. "I know what you're going to say, Winry. But I can't hear you say it."

"Why not?" Winry clutched her skirt tightly, eyebrows knit in confusion.

"If I hear you say it, I'll end up doing something stupid and I can't…" Ivy took in a shaky breath. "I can't give you what either of us want even if we want the same thing. But that'll go right out the window if I hear you say it." Ivy looked down at her sandals. "I should share my bed with Akasha tonight instead. I'm sorry, I can't return your feelings."

Ivy felt like her entire world was crashing, falling at her feet.

But she ignored it, turning back around to pack in silence.

She ignored it when Winry left quietly.

And she ignored it when she was sure she heard Winry quietly sniffling to herself that night while Ivy was pressed firmly into Akasha's side.

_God, I hate myself._

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

Sorry for the long wait for this chapter!

This story fell a bit to the way side while I was inspired by another project the moment I found it hard to generate some more in-advanced chapters. But I am back in the game, homies. The gang is gonna be heading to Central and Akasha's clearly hiding the truth, not to mention being a total creep when it comes to this Ed thing. I'm really having fun with that since it was the intention all along. Meanwhile, Ivy's rejected Winry's feelings deciding to place going back home over anything else. Hell, the girl couldn't even get the full confession out.

Someone give Winry a hug *sigh*. Hope to have the next chapter out soon!

**No comments to respond to this chapter.** Maybe next time though!


	21. What is 'Home' Really

**Title:** A Fangirl's Dream  
**Summary:** Ivy has it rough. She's no anime fan or FMA fan. But when she somehow crosses the gate, she finds herself in the worst possible position: a protagonist of an Another World fic trope. And between the alchemy, automail, lack of plot knowledge, and struggling with her attraction to a pretty blonde mechanic, Ivy reluctantly teams up with the main characters in her journey to get home.  
**Pen Name:** FanfictionIsMySideHustle

* * *

"Hey, is everything alright with Winry?" Ivy nearly jumped when she felt Edward whispering in her ear.

"God, dude, what the hell?!" She shrieked in a whisper.

Edward's gold eyes flashed in light amusement. "Sorry." The blond didn't sound apologetic at all before he pointed to the front of them. Ahead where Alphonse led the way to the train station, Winry and Akasha were in tow. Ivy ignored the shudder that ran down her throat when she noticed green eyes on them like a hawk. "Seriously, though, is Winry alright? She's been acting weird since dinner yesterday."

"How am I supposed to know that answer?" Ivy grumbled back.

"You're always together 99% of the time, duh." Edward jeered. He raised an eyebrow, giving her a strange look. "You could have just said 'no'."

"I'm just surprised you're sensitive enough to know when a young maiden is off somehow." Ivy elbowed the blond to her right, lightly, mindful of his automail arm.

Edward elbowed her back roughly, Ivy was unable to hold back a laugh at his irritation. "Oh shut up!"

"What are you two laughing about back there?" Akasha called back, walking backwards towards them.

Ivy clenched a fist tightly, pushing down any feeling unease raising in her._ It's only Akasha._ Ivy reminded herself._ It's just Akasha, alright Carter? It's literally just Akasha._ Akasha with the billion fanfics she was probably going to never finish. Akasha with the gazillion anime reblogs on tumblr. "Edward was just secretly trying to ask me tips on how to grow taller and I told the guy that it's genetics, so sadly, he's screwed."

Ivy made quick work of dodging the metal and flesh hand that tried to find their way around her neck. "Alright, alright! Your automail is definitely lighter now so chill out, you'll get taller. Eventually."

"One of these days, Ivy, I'm gonna punch you to the moon!"

"Where's the fun in that though, Ed boy?" Ivy sang, clicking her tongue. "You'd just want me to come back in five minutes once Alphonse gets sad that I've disappeared. Right, Alphonse?" Ivy continued on before the tall boy could give an answer. "Right. I love it when I'm right."

"At least we know you're training in Rush Valley is never boring, huh, Winry?" Alphonse chuckled.

_Fuck._

Ivy looked over to a smithshop they were passing by, suddenly more interested in the promotional sign boasting their new tempering of steel. It was going to be awkward enough trying to share a room with Winry in Central, she didn't consider how awkward it would also be when they came back to resume their training with Garfiel._ It's fine, it's gonna be fine._ Ivy bit the inside of her cheek. _We'll get whatever stuff needs to be done in Central and be back to normal by the time we get back here and work on being just friends._

That seemed plausible by the time they got to the Rush Valley train station. There weren't too many people out waiting, what looked like a pair of traveling mechanics with a bunch of newly purchased tools and excited smiles on their face. Ivy envied their ignorant bliss, there was nothing awkward about their situation wherever those two would be headed.

Ivy sighed quietly and looked back at the train tracks.

Ivy just needed to think about something else. Anything else that wouldn't open old wounds. Then things would fall back into place.

"Where's Ling at, come to think of it?" Ivy blinked in realization when she noticed the prince wasn't around._ Seriously, it's like whenever I'm around I only hear of the guy and never actually see him._

"Eh, he'll be here eventually." Akasha waved a hand nonchalantly as she approached closer. "Trust me, he always pops up right when you least expect it. Speaking from experience."

"We're literally about to board the train." Ivy replied incredulously. She knew plot convenience and hollywood happenstance were a thing, but this just seemed impossible.

"Just trust me." Akasha repeated, chill as ever. "Seriously though," Akasha whispered, eyeing Edward impatiently pacing for the Central train. "what were you and Ed talking about before?"

"Nothing important." Ivy reassured, ignoring the light pool of anxiety in her chest. "He only ever gets all weird when there's something wrong with his arm or he's in the mood to joke."

"No he doesn't." Akasha crossed her arms. "If he was gonna joke, he would just say it out loud. And it's not so much a joke as it is a roast."

"Akasha, maybe this is just an Edward factoid not even you know about so chill out." Ivy rolled her eyes, taking a seat on a bench a few paces away. The train couldn't come fast enough to take away the feeling of knowing Akasha was staring. Ivy just knew that if she mentioned Winry was the topic Edward had brought up, Akasha would have a fit and Ivy wasn't dealing with the aftermath.

After a moment, the brunette thankfully went elsewhere. Ivy wasn't sure whether or not it was a good thing she automatically went to chat with Edward, but at least she was away.

Alphonse and Winry were sitting a bench away, not talking amongst themselves. Ivy glanced over testily. It was no wonder Edward asked if Winry was alright when you could see the light puffiness of her eyes and the red tinging her lower lids.

A mixture of emotions swirled in Ivy's chest; part guilty, part 'you're an idiot, your crush actually likes you back'. Ivy shoved the latter half further down, packed away into the darkest crevices of her mind so it wouldn't resurface again. She was doing the right thing. Ivy sighed, looking at the ground. Her backpack felt heavier than usual and her shoes looked as worn as she felt emotionally.

Ivy couldn't stop herself from glancing in the blonde's direction again.

Then she felt nothing but panic and alarm bells when she glanced and saw blue eyes looking her way as well. Ivy looked away so fast her eyes nearly got whiplash.

_Fuck my life._

Ivy tapped her right foot anxiously.

"Are you alright there?" Ivy felt like she had her third heart attack of the day when she noticed the flash of yellow and white beside her.

Of all the times for Ling to show up, it would be now.

"Sorry for the scare back there." Ling laughed lightly. "We're finally talking again!"

"At least this time it isn't because I found you collapsed somewhere." Ivy smiled politely. She didn't know how to read this guy. _Who the hell smiles this much? And does he always smile like that? That long? That has got to hurt the guy's cheek bones at some point._ Akasha might have said he was a good guy, but he was no friend of Ivy's yet even with that sort of knowledge. "I almost thought I just imagined the whole thing happened. Whenever I was out the goblin cave I call a work space, you were apparently around but I never saw you. Almost thought it was a whole ass prank."

Ling laughed, shaking his head. "No no, I've just been busy since I've arrived to this country. It was a tiresome journey getting here too, let me tell you."

"And you're from Xing, you said?" Ivy recalled the last conversation they actually had face-to-face. "That's crazy far, I'm honestly kinda impressed." _At least I think I should be._ "What's it like there?"

"Considering my position, you could say I don't actually live the average Xingese experience but Xing is a beautiful country." Ling's voice held fond nostalgia and pride, his closed eyes looking towards the train tracks. Despite them being closed, it still looked like Ling could perfectly see the sandstone formations before them. But it was clear that his mind was far off, far far away from the desert.

When was the last time she felt like that for Vallant? Ivy couldn't recall ever feeling the way Ling looked. What did that say about her?

"I got to pass through the Xingese countryside on my way to Amestris, it was wonderful seeing the rice paddies and farm where I get my food." Ling continued, grinning animatedly as he moved his hands. "There are elaborate mountain chains, beautiful rivers, lovely architecture, Xing has it all."

"It sounds like a beautiful place to be in." Ivy replied truthfully. If Xing really was based off China, she wasn't lying. She'd seen her fair amount of pictures of China when they covered it in World History class. And Liziqi's videos on youtube always hit the spot when Ivy was bored out of her mind and needed something to watch. "Well, I hope you get back and see it soon."

"Oh, I'll probably be here in Amestris for a while longer." Ling replied airly, body language loose and nonchalant. Whether or not Edward or Alphonse ever let it slip to the guy that she knew of his reasons for being here, she wouldn't ask. "I look forward to seeing the Amestrian capital. I've heard plenty from ambassadors in my country that it's very large and has plenty of historical buildings to visit."

"As long as you aren't planning to visit one of the national libraries, your trip will be well rewarded." Ivy grumbled, the First Library burning so far away now yet she still remembers the way her heart dropped to her stomach when she first arrived and saw her original salvation to get home destroyed. At least it had all worked out thanks to Sheska. Not that Ivy would be telling Ling about that. "But Central's a nice place. It's where I'm from. Akasha too." She made sure to keep both her feet firmly adhered to the ground as they continued their quiet talk. "Lots of people but the vibe is totally different from Rush Valley." She thought back to her short handful of weeks in the grand city.

It was a _totally_ different vibe.

Central was curt and polite.

Rush Valley was a big city with a small city vibe where everyone acted like they knew each other. It was rare to go even a day without casual guests that were regulars or friendly engineers stopping by for a sit down and chat, Paninya usually found a way to visit daily. Everyone was nice enough to share tips to budding mechanics. It was easy as all hell to get scrap metal for free from the blacksmiths.

"You don't seem super excited to go back home." Ling's voice brought Ivy out of her comparisons. "I'm guessing that you're more fond of Rush Valley. It was a nice place, just too hot for my tastes."

Ivy shrugged, hoping she still looked chill. "You can say Central and I have a complicated history." She looked back out at the sandstone, trying to find familiar shapes of Vallant in it. There were none she could find. Very complicated history. "What's home at this point, anyway?" Ivy huffed quietly.

Home, home, home.

Her relationship with Vallant felt more complicated everyday.

"Hmm." Ling hummed, leaned forward resting his chin on one hand as he propped an elbow on one knee. "I've always been told by my mother's younger brother that home was wherever he laid his rump, he's always been a bit more frivolous." He held up a finger which was quickly joined by a second. "Fu told me home is the place in our hearts that remained no matter where we went." A third finger was raised. "But my mother said home is the people we are trying to protect."

Ivy blinked, glancing over at her seat companion seeing him open one eye thoughtfully as he stared at his hand. "When I was younger, I was a bit confused since I just thought that home was where all of my items and family happened to be. But now that I'm so far away from home, I think what Fu and my mother said are the most applicable to how I feel when I think about 'home'. When I think about what home is to me."

Ivy didn't respond immediately, Ling looked like he was deep in his thoughts.

_Who are you trying to protect?_ Ivy wanted to ask.

Somehow, the words don't escape her mouth. They couldn't even if she wanted to.

Ling's home was private.

"I can respect that." Ivy said finally, clamping her hands together in her lap. "I can really respect that." It felt dumb and clumsy that that was her final word choice. But when Ling looked up at her, his one eye still open, she knew he understood what she meant.

"When it comes to you, which of those ideals feel the most true to you and your situation?" Ling inquired, his usual airy and light-hearted tone of voice no longer present. It hadn't been for a while. Both of his eyes were open now. "Where you happen to be in the moment, a place in your heart, or a person?"

Ivy clenched her hands tighter as her thoughts and emotions swirled a million hours per hour in her mind. "I'll have to get back to you on that." She whispered after what felt like hours.

Ivy was more than relieved when the train finally arrived, putting an end to their conversation. She stood up at the sound of the train's whistle. "But, for what it's worth," she looked back at what were now eyelids. "I wish you a lot of luck, man. You've got it figured and you're doing what it takes for what you care about."

Ivy didn't have to know Ling for that.

Ling smiled as he stood up, "I wish you luck in figuring it out." He said quietly enough for her to hear alone.

"What are you two whispering about?!" Edward called out, snapping Ivy out of whatever atmosphere she and the much taller boy were in. Gold eyes were glaring suspiciously at Ling from where he stood. "Is he trying to mooch a ticket off of you? Leave him where you found him and let's get on the train already."

"Oh don't worry, my dear friend!" Ling exclaimed, the mood entirely gone as he pulled out a ticket from his sleeve. "I already have a ticket!"

"How in the hell do you have enough money to buy a ticket for a train but not enough money to pay for your own food at a restaurant!?" Edward all but screeched like a demon.

_Ah shit, here we go again._ Ivy shook her head with a small smile. "Boys, boys, there's enough Ivy to go around."

"Who said anything about y-"

"Come on, Ling, let's get you on the train." Ivy chuckled, giving the boy light taps forward. "Edward, be nice, I know there's a spark of good somewhere in that ice box you call a heart."

"UGH!"

"He's nicer than he looks, pinky swear. Just sit next to me." Ivy reassured as they boarded. "We're cool, Ed'll come around eventually."

Probably.

Who knew.

Ivy just knew Ling was actually kinda cool.

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

Sorry AGAIN for the long wait for this chapter! This chapter isn't that long either but I still wanted to get this out, looking at the newest reviews this story got really pushed me forward. I'm not sure when I'll get back to posting consistently, but this story definitely isn't dead.

I just decided to take a break from writing all my projects for a while on here and on ao3. Mentally I just wasn't in a good place as this was doing the end of May during the tragic murder of George Floyd and a lot of pent up emotions just came flowing out and I was in no place to write anything. I'm trying to slowly get back into writing now. For me, writing is something I hold dear to me since for most situations, even if they are bad I can write as a distraction. And considering the state of the world as a whole, wherever you may be, I hope my fics offer you guys a bit of temporary solace from whatever is messing with you IRL.

Even if we never interact outside of me responding to comments on the story, y'all are really like a big welcome back hug. But enough with the IRL sappy stuff, let's talk about the fic sappy stuff. This chapter comes in hot after Winry's rejection and there's some awkward tension in the air to deal with. But in it, Ivy gets some sagely advice from Ling who has made an appearance proper finally. I really wanted to work on their next interaction with one another. Ling feels like that guy you are just vibing with one moment and it suddenly turns into a philosophical discussion that leaves you changed in some way, so I hope I conveyed that well.

**Vendicor:** Trust me, Akasha's delusions from here will be playing a major part in this story. In contrast to the original rendition of this story on my old account which was originally EdxIvy, surprisingly, and Akasha slowly falling for Ling, I wanted to do a fic one of those OC is from IRL goes to FMA fics with someone with that mentality that never seems to shift from These are still just fictional characters versus Oh no I am here now and actually falling for Ed, whatever shall I do? I hope you look forward to seeing what comes next because there is a lot!

**5directionalpilot:** Please don't apologize at all, your reviews made very happy! It doesn't need to be long, medium, short, I'm just happy there was someone who was happy reading my work and felt so happy they wanted to leave a comment! I'm happy you like that Ivy is black because honestly, it's super rare finding any story with a minority OC protagonist and I wanted to write something for the black nerds out there. I look forward to seeing more reviews from the future from you whenever you leave them ^o^.

**Vedahzii:** I'm so happy and honored that you liked the story enough to binge through it! There's definitely more to come between Ivy and Winry despite the awkward tension between the two of them right now and I hope you stay long enough to see it!

**Livvy4243:** I'm happy you like how I keep Ivy's thoughts grounded in realism as she struggles between her growing desire to stay but keeps in mind her entire life she's already lived in the real world! I wanted to really show her hesitance in comparison to an avid superfan like Akasha who is clearly more than happy to toss all that stuff behind. I'm also happy you like the vibe Ivy and Winry have going on. I've mentioned in other Author's Notes that the original pairing in the OG story was actually going to be Ed and Ivy and when I decided to do this rewrite/'actually finish this fic' project, I was like 'idk if that will still be a thing, we will see' but by the time I got to about chapter 3 or 4, I realized that Ivy and Winry had a lot of chemistry and changed it up to them being the official pairing for this fic. I wanted their relationship to be one that's, generally, simple and domestic since they are both characters that prefer communication to secrets and are open about being affectionate with each other. I hope you enjoy this chapter and interaction between Ivy and Ling!

**Guest:** Here is some moar for you, fam ^o^!

**Sam:** I'm happy you like this story enough do that and I hope you continue to follow the story to its inevitable end!

**DarowdrynofArcadia:** ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) May this chapter add... a tiny bit of fuel. A treat.


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